


Roses Are Red

by CapturedAngelNo19



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Ninth Doctor Era, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 58,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27176959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapturedAngelNo19/pseuds/CapturedAngelNo19
Summary: Thorne Tyler is the fifteen-year-old sister of Rose Tyler. But what will happen when a girl with a question meets a man who can give her the answer?Book 1 in a 5 Book Series
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Original Female Character(s), Ninth Doctor/Original Character(s), Ninth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Kudos: 9





	1. ‘A Poisoned Tree’ by William Blake

I was angry with my friend;

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my foe:

I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I waterd it in fears,

Night & morning with my tears:

And I sunned it with smiles,

And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night.

Till it bore an apple bright.

And my foe beheld it shine,

And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,

When the night had veild the pole;

In the morning glad I see;

My foe outstretched beneath the tree.


	2. Chapter 1: Rose and Thorne

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter 1:** _Rose and Thorne_

"Thorne," she yawned, "it's time to get up. We've got work in an hour."

Staggering into the tiny closet-like bedroom of her fifteen-year-old sister, Rose Tyler did her best to ignore the IGCSE – a High School Diploma – hanging from the wall above the single bed in the left corner of the room. The nineteen-year-old muffled another yawn and rubbed the sleep from her muddy-brown eyes before stumbling towards the bed and, with as much force as she could muster in her half-awake state, ripped the duvet off the sleeping girl.

"Come on, I know your not asleep," said Rose, patting down her blonde hair and inhaling. "If you don't get up soon, I'm going to grab a mug of ice water and pour it on your head."

"Please don't," a soft voice grumbled from underneath the pillow.

Thorne Tyler gently removed the pillow from her head, revealing her platinum blonde hair, and turned so that her rain-storm blue eyes connected with Rose's. Dream dust was still covering the corner of her eyes and she was very slow to stand up from her nice, warm bed. Rose watched her before rolling her eyes and pulling Thorne up by her outstretched arm and spinning her towards her wardrobe just as the seven-thirty alarm went off alerting them to the hour they had left to get ready and grab the bus.

Rose fled the room as fast as she could and dived into the bathroom to get ready. Thorne ran a brush through her curly hair, pulled on her dark blue shirt and work trousers and slipped on her trainers. She slipped her satchel over her shoulder and walked into the living-room – which was right outside her door as her room was across from the front door.

Jackie Tyler had just finished making some toast when Thorne slipped into the kitchen to make tea. Thorne was just about to pour herself a cup when toast was shoved into her mouth and a gentle kiss was pressed onto her cheek.

"Love you," said Jackie when she spotted Thorne's glare.

Just as Thorne finished the toast and tea Rose walked out of the bathroom and began heading towards the door. Thorne followed after her, passing Rose a piece of toast, and kissed her mother on the cheek.

"Bye mum," cried Thorne over her shoulder walking outside.

"Bye!" said Rose.

"See you later!" cried Jackie after them.

The Central bus wasn’t as packed as it normally was this early in the morning. Slipping into a seat near the back, pulling out a small notepad she always kept in her bag with a quirked brow. Her latest blueprints weren’t up to scratch and she needed to completely rework the schematics for the internal processers before she could even think of adding anything else to it.

After reworking her design for the sixth time in a matter of minutes, Thorne had finally given up. Breathing out a sigh, Thorne focused all of her attention on what was outside the window, spotting a man in the crowd staring at her. The man was blonde with a beard and moustache and, from what little Thorne could see, he was wearing a black suit with red inside. She blinked when her eyes started to burr and the moment she opened her eyes again, he was gone. Thinking nothing of it, Thorne continued analysing the outside world, memorising every little detail like she had trained herself to do when she was younger.

Rose was texting Mickey from the seat in front of her, grinning like a love-sick maniac with each reply. It almost made Thorne sick to think about but she swallowed the jealousy and contented herself with focusing on new creations. Her thoughts did wonders to distract her mind but there was still that tiny part of her that was focused on Rose’s happiness and how Thorne wasn’t likely to achieve such a thing…

The drive only took twenty minutes before they had arrived at their destination and Rose tugged Thorne up, leading her out of the doors. The pair of them looked up and let out a collective groan of annoyance: a red 'Henrick's Sale' banner was hung above the shop front.

"We're screwed," said Rose.

"No, I believe you'll find you're very screwed," said Thorne, grinning, "I'm just on the register."

"Yeah, which means your fingers are gonna hurt like hell.”

"No, my fingers will be fine – I can do the multiplication in my head."

The moment they walked in the sisters split up and went towards their different sections. Thorne smiled at her friend on the other register as she grabbed her pin and name tag.

"Morning Mels," said Thorne with a smile.

"Morning Thorne," said Melody with a happy grin.

"I thought you were going back to Ledworth?"

"Na, friends have gone off travelling," said Melody glancing at the clock, "besides, I couldn't, in good conscience, leave you to face this crowd alone."

"Thanks for caring," said Thorne with a bright smile. "Even if I can tell if you're a liar."

“What can I say? I never break a promise,” said Melody, winking at Thorne.

Lunch, thankfully, came quicker than expected and soon Melody and Thorne were walking down the street towards a bakery the pair of them loved. While on their way, Thorne felt a shiver run up her spine and looked around with a raised eyebrow. It was almost like something was calling her like something was warning her of an oncoming storm. The feeling went away as quickly as it had appeared, and Thorne shook it off, but not before noticing the very same man from before staring at her from an alleyway while holding up a metal device in his hand. Once again, he was gone the moment she blinked.

**"This is a customer announcement. The store will be closing in five minutes. Thank you.”**

Both Thorne and Melody let out a small cry of relief as people began flooding out of the building. They had barely gotten a break since Lunch and Thorne's fingers hurt from removing all the protective tags, though she managed to make the day go by quicker because she hadn't needed to use the register to calculate the price of each item.

Rose's patience was just about fired: she had constantly been badgered by customers wanting things that were either out of stock or weren't on sale yet. She was ready to go home and collapse when she met up with Mels and Thorne at the registers the two had been stationed at all day.

"Hey Rose," said Mels, throwing her backpack over her shoulder.

"Mels," said Rose, her face blank.

Mels just sighed and turned to Thorne with a happy smile before opening her mouth: "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? For another boring day of the sale."

"If you don't get arrested before then," mumbled Rose.

Thorne smacked her sister in the arm.

"Yeah Mels," said Thorne with a grin, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Thorne waited until Melody was out of hearing range before turning to Rose with an annoyed expression. Rose just raised her hands in surrender and grabbed Thorne's bag and turned for them to leave.

They had just reached the main doors when a guard pulled out a clear plastic bag and waved it in front of Rose, which she tried to ignore: "Oi!" but to no avail. Moaning quietly, Rose grabbed the plastic bag and ran towards one of the lifts, Thorne following her sister: Rose was the one with bus money.

The lift clicked and clanged into life, gently lowering them towards the basement in silence. It gave Thorne time to regret following Rose – she could have just waited outside – into the lift: Thorne hated the basement. It was where all the mannequins and out of fashion clothes were dropped off. Not to mention it was dark and no one could actually hear what happened down there.

Stopping with a stutter, the lift doors opened, exposing the sisters to the dark, narrow corridor leading to the electricals area. There were tiny lights above them and clothes on wracks scattered all throughout the area. The exposed pipes gave Thorne pause, especially when she heard water dropping from somewhere nearby.

“Wilson?” called Rose, breaking the silence and making Thorne flinch at the sudden noise.

They turned a corner and arrived just outside of a light blue door. It had an electrical warning sign on the front and a plaque stating H.P. Wilson C.E.O.

“Wilson, we've got the lottery money,” Rose tried again, knocking on the door, in case he hadn’t heard her the first time. “Wilson, are you there?”  
  


Thorne pulled at the handle, releasing a sigh of annoyance when it didn’t budge and shacking her head at Rose.

“Maybe he’s in one of the storage rooms?” said Thorne, though she doubted it.

Wilson was the type of man to never leave his office unless he didn’t have a choice. The only reason he even let Rose and Thorne down to the lower basement was because he and Thorne tended to chat from time to time. He was a fountain of knowledge when it came to electrical repairs and Thorne had helped him with blueprints from time to time.

“Yeah, maybe,” agreed Rose. “We can't hang about 'cos they're closing the shop. Wilson!” Rose sighed, finally giving up on the door. “Oh, come on,” she groaned.

“Try again tomorrow?” said Thorne, anxious to get out of there.

Rose was about to respond when a clattering noise echoed towards them from further down the corridor. It sounded like someone was moving hastily away from them or was struggling to move.

_Don’t be a serial killer, don’t be a serial killer,_ begged Thorne, internally.

And, like an idiot, Rose began moving towards the noise, making their position obvious as she yelled out: “Hello? Hello, Wilson, it's Rose and Thorne.”

“Maybe we should get security,” suggested Thorne, having remained rooted to her spot by Wilson’s door.

Looking at her younger sister’s paling face almost gave Rose pause. Getting security, though, would mean remaining in the shop longer and Rose sure didn’t want to do that, especially if it turned out that the noise had just been Wilson. Besides, there was no other access to the lower basement than the lift which both girls had come down.

“Go and wait for me outside if you’re scared,” said Rose, as softly as she could. “I’ll be out in minutes.”

“Yeah, ‘cos I want to be the one to explain to mum that you’ve been axed off by a serial killer!” said Thorne, swallowing her fear and moving over to Rose.

Now standing beside Rose, Thorne decided that at least she could be somewhat helpful while looking for her missing friend… if only to keep her from focusing on the overwhelmingly bad feeling that had settled into her chest.

“Hello? Wilson?” called Thorne.

Another clash sounded from the storage room right beside them making both girls jump and turned towards it. The two red doors didn’t give anything away but Thorne could tell there were no lights on inside – whether that was a good or bad thing… well, they’d have to open the doors to find out.

“On three, yeah?” said Rose.

“Right, one,” began Thorne.

“Two…”

“Three,” the girls said together, pushing the doors open.

It was pitch black inside, which Thorne was glad for: she couldn’t see the hundreds of half-dressed mannequins that were about to be exposed to her when Rose turned on the lights. The moment she did see those plastic dummies, Thorne jumped, letting out a shriek of surprise and fear before grabbing Rose’s arm and clinging to it for dear life.

“I hate this,” whispered Thorne.

“You can still leave and go up,” said Rose, trying to calm Thorne down. “I told you, I’ll only be a few more minutes.”

Thorne gulped but shook her head and did her best to stand up straighter – trying to appear confident and failing. She really hated dummies!

“Wilson?” Rose called out, moving slowly through the room, Thorne clinging to her arm like a koala. “Wilson!”

Upon making it to the Estates Management Department door, Rose felt Thorne release her hand and begin pulling on the handle. There was still silence all around them, not even the hiss of plumbing and Thorne didn’t know whether to be happy about it or extremely put off by it.

**_ SLAM! _ **

The doors the girls had just entered through slammed shut from across the room. Immediately the girls jumped, Thorne turning paler than the white sheets covering some of the models, and Rose sprinted back over, doing her best to pull the door open only to be unsuccessful.

“You're kidding me!” growled Rose, pulling again on the metal handles. It didn’t budge.

Thorne had a hand clasped over her heart, which was beating out a samba of fear. Rose did her best to send her younger sister a calming look only for that to be ruined as clattering and banging filled the room.

“Rose, I don’t like this,” whimpered Thorne, rushing over to her sister.

“It’s all fine, I promise,” soothed Rose before her expression morphed into one of pure anger. “Is that someone mucking about? Who is it? Thorne’s down here with me, you know! When I find out whose idea this was their going to wish they were never born, alright! She’s scared to death!”

Hearing a creaking behind them, Rose turned, instinctively pushing Thorne behind her and glaring. A male shop dummy with a purple spotted jacket turned and bent forwards, like it was looking right at them. Thorne squealed in surprise, especially when it started to move towards them, and a few others began getting up.

“Yeah, you got us. Very funny,” said Rose, her voice wavering.

The dummies kept moving towards them, causing both girls to automatically move backwards, all the while still focused on them.

“Right, I've got the joke. Whose idea was this? Is it Derek's? Is it? Derek, is this you? You know Thorne’s terrified of being down here! I’m gonna kill you!”

Creaking plastic was everywhere and soon the girls were backed against a wall as hundreds of shop dummies surrounded them. Thorne felt her breathing stop as her back connected with the wall and the dummies kept advancing. They couldn’t move anymore. The leading dummy raised his arm into the air, both girls closed their eyes, preparing for impact.

Suddenly, Rose felt a hand grab her wrist.

Her eyes opened in a second as she turned to look at her attacker. Before she could think of anything to say he spoke.

“Run!” he ordered.

Both Thorne and Rose were soon pulled along, far away from the shop dummies, who were chasing them. More dummies reached out for them as they continued to run past towards the service lift. They had made it inside and the doors were just about to close when the leading dummy put his arm into the doors, grabbing at the man who quickly pulled the arm off.

“You pulled his arm off!” gaped Rose.

Thorne wasn’t truly paying much attention, her mind was still focused on the fact that those dummies had come after them. Her nightmare had come to life and she had survived it… god did she feel tired.

“Yep,” said the man, who then threw it at Rose, who caught it badly. “Plastic.”

“Great… my nightmare came true,” whispered Thorne, wrapping her arms around herself before looking at the man.

The man had an olive skin-tone, blue eyes and hardly any hair. He was wearing a leather jacket with a black shirt underneath and black bottoms.

“Very clever. Nice trick!” growled Rose. “Who were they then, students? Is this a student thing or what?”

The man turned towards Rose, a perplexed expression. “Why would they be students?”

“I don't know…”

“Well, you said it. Why students?”

“'Cos to get that many people dressed up and being silly, they got to be students!” said Rose, calming down slightly.

"That makes sense. Well done," said the stranger, his voice held a patronising note.

"Thanks," said Rose slowly.

"They're not students."

"Whoever they are, when Wilson finds them, he's going to call the police," said Rose, "and when I get a hold of the person who planned all this, they're gonna a wish the police had gotten them!"

"Whose Wilson?" asked the stranger. He seemed to be trying his best to ignore the obvious death threat while also glancing at Thorne to make sure she was alright.

"Chief electrician," croaked Thorne.

The lift dinged and the doors slowly opened. Rose, Thorne and the stranger were all ready to step out when the stranger said something that stopped Thorne dead in her tracks: "Wilson's dead."

Instantly, Thorne froze but Rose didn’t. Anger coursed through Rose as she watched the stranger simply exit the lift without a care in the world, as if he hadn’t just said that someone had died.

“That's just not funny. That's sick!” said Rose.

She charged out of the lift, about to yell at him more when the stranger grabbed her shoulder and moved her to the side.

“Hold on. Mind your eyes,” he ordered, releasing Rose, he turned to Thorne, who was still in the lift. “And I’d get out of the lift if I were you.”

The stranger turned, hiding what he was doing from view, and pointed something at the lift buttons, causing it to spark and smoke to rise from it. Meanwhile Thorne had regained her bearings and was just as confused and angry as Rose, though she channelled all of it into sarcasm.

“I've had enough of this now,” snarled Rose, the plastic arm still held in her hands. “Who are you, then?” the stranger ran off. “Who's that lot down there? I said, who are they?”

“Rose, calm down,” ordered Thorne.

“No! you were terrified down there! Everyone here knows of your fear of those dummies and they thought it was a good idea to mess with you! How are you not more angry?” said Rose, borderline hysterical.

“Believe me, I’m going to get everyone back later, preferably with an electrocution, but we need to remain calm,” said Thorne. “You’re turning into mum.”

They eventually caught up with the stranger at the emergency exit and Rose re-asked her questions, this time she was a lot calmer.

“They're made of plastic. Living plastic creatures. They're being controlled by a relay device in the roof, which would be a great big problem if I didn't have this,” he held a small bomb for them to see. “So, I'm going to go up there and blow them up, and I might well die in the process, but don't worry about me – No, you go home. Go on. Go and have your lovely beans on toast. Don't tell anyone about this, because if you do, you'll get them killed.”

He pushed them out of the door and, with a slight grin shut the door behind him with a bang. Rose and Thorne looked at each other, not sure if this was a joke anymore. They were just about to walk away when the door opened and he stuck his head out again.

“I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?” asked the man.

“Rose.”

“Thorne.”

“Nice to meet you, Rose, Thorne,” he grinned, waving the bomb in front of them. “Run for your life!”

Running out of the alley way, Thorne kept a tight hold on Rose’s arm as they manuvered through the streets towards the bus stop. Without thinking, the two girls ran across the main road – attempting to avoid anymore dummies in the shop windows – almost getting hit by a car in the process.

“Watch it!” the cabby ordered.

**_ KABOOM! _ **

A huge fireball erupted from Henrik’s taking out the upper floors and deafening all those in the surrounding areas. That only propelled the girls to move fast, sprinting down the road towards the nearest bus stop, completely missing the blue police telephone pox parked just in the alley between two stores.

~{Roses}~

**"The whole of Central London has been closed off as police investigate the fire. Early reports indicate—"**

Thorne gripped her steaming mug of tea in her left hand and lowered herself onto the settee across from Rose. Her hands were shaking like no tomorrow as she gently set it down on the coffee table and wrapped her massive fluffy blanket around her shoulders. Rose was slumped against the other settee and was staring at the T.V with passive eyes, her face not moving as she watched the remains of their lively hood burn.

Jackie was gliding around the flat with a phone in her hand and a cup of coffee in the other, "I know. It's on the telly. It's everywhere. They're lucky to be alive," said Jackie. "Honestly, it's aged, Rose. Skin like an old bible. Walking in now you'd think I was her daughter." Jackie gently padded Thorne on the head and handed her a metal ball and a screwdriver – knowing this would help her far more than anything else. "Thorne's just traumatised, could barely get anything out of the poor girl," the front door opened and Mickey Smith came running into the flat. "Oh, and here's himself."

Mickey rushed into the living room and practically fell in relief upon seeing Rose and Thorne perfectly safe. "I've been phoning your mobile," cried Mickey. "You could've been dead. It's on the news and everything. I can't believe that your shop went up!"

"Mickey, we're fine. Thorne and I managed to get out before anything happened. We're both fine."

Mickey turned to look at Thorne, seeing her shaking as she tinkered with the metal ball in her hands. She had been tightening the same screw for the last few seconds but changing the moment she noticed he was looking. The little robot came to life in her hands and Thorne was instantly calm upon seeing its little blue LED eyes looking her up and down.

"What about you, little rose?" Mickey asked softly, placing a calming hand on her knee.

"I'm okay," said Thorne grimacing slightly at the nickname. "Just... shock is all."

Mickey nodded, patting her knee with a soft smile. Her little robot was moving around now, fixing her blanket just as she had taught it to do. It soothed something within her but also brought back the memories of those shop dummies and she instantly went very pale.

"Well, what happened?" Mickey prodded.

"I don't know! We don't know," said Rose, there was an edge in her tone, one that – if someone listened – would alert to her lie but, luckily, Mickey wasn't as observant as Thorne was.

_We do know_ , thought Thorne, sipping more of her tea as her robot began glitching. She groaned in annoyance as it snapped shut and fell into her lap. _We just can't tell anyone._

"What was it though? What caused it?" Mickey once again questioned.

"We weren't in the shop; Rose and I were outside. We didn't see anything," said Thorne before Rose could even mention it. She sent her older sister a look telling her to keep quiet about the strange man they had met. "Honestly, I just don't want to think about it so... can you stop asking, please?"

Mickey sent her a sorrowful look but he wasn’t going to stop asking, he’d just wait till she was out of ear shot.

Soon Jackie returned with the phone outstretched for Rose to take: "It's Debbie on the end. She knows a man on the Mirror. Five hundred quid for an interview."

Thorne knew her mother was only trying to do what she thought was best: interviewers paid a lot of money and they were going to need income sooner or later since no one in the flat had a job anymore. Sure Thorne could get another job but it wouldn't pay as much as Henrik's had.

"Oh that's brilliant! Give it here," said Rose. She quickly took the phone from their mother and ended the call with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, you've got to find some way of making money. Your job's kaput and I'm not bailing you out. Thorne is the only one in this family that shouldn't have to work yet."

"Yeah but I like having something to do other than tinker, besides, how else am I going to pay for half of my equipment? I can't sell these guys until they're actually finished."

Suddenly the phone rang again and Jackie immediately scooped it up, "Bev! They're alive. I've told Rose, sue for compensation. They were within seconds of death."

"Mum's being overdramatic!" Thorne called, the colour returning to her skin. Rose smiled at the sign of Thorne's health returning and began sipping her tea.

"What're you drinking, tea?" asked Mickey, "Nah, Nah, that's no good, that's no good. You're in shock. You need something stronger."

"I'm all right," said Rose.

"Now, come on, you deserve a proper drink. We're going down the pub, you and me," said Mickey gesturing with his finger. "My treat. How about it?" Mickey turned to Thorne and with an insincere look said: "Sorry little Rose, you're too young."

"No problem. I don't drink anyway, kills brain cells," said Thorne with a smirk. "And I don't like football either."

Mickey gaped at her and blushed at how easily he had been caught out by the youngest Tyler.

"Thanks for the heads up, Thorne," asked Rose, with a smirk.

"No," said Mickey, defensively, "I'm just thinking about you, babe."

"Yep totally, has nothing to do with the match that started fifty minutes ago," said Thorne, Mickey looked at her in confusion. "I looked it up earlier, Mouse. You wanted me to tell you the odds for your mate to bet on, remember?"

"Right... well, we could catch the last five minutes, I mean... um..." said Mickey with his trademark puppy dog eyes.

"Go on, then. I'm fine. Go," said Rose. Suddenly she produced the arm of the dummy and threw it at Mickey as Thorne shivered. "Get rid of that."

"Bye, bye," grinned Mickey, waving the arm back and forth like it was alive.

Considering what it had done earlier, Thorne was creeped out by it. It sent a shiver sliding down her spine but she didn't dare let it show on her face.

"Bye."

"Later Mouse," said Thorne.

Mickey pretended to strangle himself with the arm before disappearing out of the door. Thorne watched him go and sent a look at her older sister, one that was a mix of concern and amusement as she pulled the blanket further around herself and sipped the second cup of tea her mother had provided her with.

**"Fire then spread throughout the store. Fifteen fire crews are in attendance though it's thought there is very little chance of saving the infrastructure."**

~{Are}~

Hearing Rose's alarm clock the next morning, Thorne moaned and rolled out of bed, grabbing her mirror and rushing to pull her hair up. She was so uncoordinated that she knocked over three of her robotic projects before finally managing to pull her hair into a messy bun.

"There's no point in getting up, sweethearts. You've got no job to go to," called Jackie from the living room.

Groaning in annoyance, Thorne splashed a lot of water on her face and grabbed her newest book off of the third bookshelf before heading out into the living-room. Jackie smiled brightly at her youngest as she flicked through the paper to try and find Rose a new job, she didn't want to suggest that Thorne get a job just in case she could get another scholarship to Oxford.

A few hours later Rose came storming out of her bedroom and the three females sat down. Jackie was the first to mention jobs but it was mostly to Rose. Thorne was about half-way through 'Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix' and occasionally added her thoughts into the conversation.

"There's Finch's. You could try them. They've always got jobs," suggested Jackie.

"Oh, great. The butchers" sighed Rose.

"I don't think the butchers are allowed to have anyone under the age of seventeen," said Thorne, turning her page. Jackie glanced at her but otherwise said nothing: she wanted so desperately to deter Thorne from applying to any jobs as the fifteen-year-old had no reason to do such a thing until next September when she turned sixteen.

"Well, it might do you good, Rose," said Jackie, trying to give Thorne a subtle hint. "That shop was giving you airs and graces. And I'm not joking about compensation. You two had genuine shock and trauma," continued Jackie standing up and staring at her eldest daughter. "Arianna got two thousand quid off the council just because the old man behind the desk said she looked Greek! I know she is Greek, but that's not the point. It was a valid claim."

Hearing something rattle at the door, Thorne put down her book and stood up. She heard the noise again and immediately made her way towards the front door, calling over her shoulder: "Mum, you're such a liar. I told you to nail that cat flap down. We're going to get strays."

"I did it weeks back!" said Jackie.

"No, you thought about it," said Thorne as she arrived at the door. "Or maybe you did..."

There were screws just in front of the cat flap as if they had jumped out. Bending down, Thorne picked up one of the screws before throwing herself back when the cat flap moved. She quickly moved towards it again and opened it only to spot the stranger from before staring back at her. Immediately, she stood up and pulled the door open, staring at the man in front of her with inquisition and confusion.

"What're you doing here?" the Doctor asked. His expression was a mixture of annoyance and confusion as he looked her up and down.

"I live here," said Thorne, "this is a residential area, after all."

"Well, what do you do that for?" asked the Doctor referring to opening the cat flap.

"Because I do," snapped Thorne, "I'm only at home because someone blew up my job!"

"I must have got the wrong signal," said the Doctor looking down at the device in his hand. "You're not plastic, are you?" he knocked on her head. "No, bonehead. Bye, then."

Rose, wondering what was taking so long, appeared behind Thorne and immediately grabbed the Doctor, pulling him into the flat. "You. Inside. Right now."

"Kidnapping! When you want a date but can't get one the normal way," mumbled Thorne.

The Doctor looked at her and grinned a bit. He didn't say anything as Thorne closed the door, trapping him in between her and her older sister.

"Who is it?" called Jackie from her bedroom.

Thorne shook her head as she walked into the living room and grabbed her book, flopping down on the settee and opening it to her page. The Doctor glanced at her as Rose slipped into the kitchen.

"It's about last night. He's part of the inquiry," said Rose, "Give us ten minutes."

"She deserves compensation," their mother said.

"Oh, we're talking millions," said the Doctor.

"I'm in my dressing gown."

Thorne stopped.

"Yes, you are."

"There's a strange man in my bedroom."

She rolled her eyes with a groan.

"Yes, there is."

"Well, anything could happen."

Immediately, Thorne stood up and ran back over to where the Doctor was standing. She grabbed the Doctor's leather jacket and pulled him into the living room, "No mother, just no!"

"Thanks," said the Doctor.

"No problem, mum's just weird," said Thorne.

She dragged him into the living room and began putting different things away into draws while Rose remained in the kitchen, making some drinks for them. The Doctor glanced over at the book she was reading and nodded his head in approval.

"Don't mind the mess," said Rose as the kettle went on. "Do you want coffee?"

"Might as well, thanks. Just milk," said the Doctor, his tone eternally chipper.

Thorne giggled at the Doctor's strangeness – the Doctor's eyes lit up upon hearing at the sound – before grabbing her mug and handing it to Rose who was waiting for it. The Doctor was looking around the room with an expression that was often seen on Thorne's face: curiosity.

"We should go to the police. Seriously. All three of us," said Rose as she began making drinks.

The Doctor slowly moved throughout the room and looked at the Coffee table, specifically Rose's copy of 'Heat' magazine. He raised an eyebrow and that and picked it up causing Thorne to look at him. "That won't last," said the Doctor pointing to the couple on the cover, "he's gay and she's an alien."

"Alien?" asked Thorne. "Honestly that explains a lot."

"I know right," said the Doctor with a cheesy grin.

"I'm not blaming you," Rose continued in the kitchen, unaware that neither Thorne nor the Doctor was listening to her, too consumed in their little worlds, "even if it was just some sort of joke that went wrong."

"May I?" the Doctor asked referring to her book.

"Sure," said Thorne, highly amused, handing him the paperback.

He flicked through the pages before handing it back to her: "Hmm. Sad ending."

"How did you –?"

"I'm an alien," said the Doctor. He had, at first, wanted to lie but something about Thorne made him want to test her, it was almost as if they had met before.

"I'm... I'm not going to comment."

"They said on the news they'd found a body."

The Doctor continued looking around and picked up a photograph of Rose, "Rose Tyler." He looked at another picture and his jaw dropped, "you graduated at age twelve?"

"Yep," said Thorne with a smile, "one of the worst days of my life."

"Why?"

"I was twelve and everyone else was way older, do you know how embarrassing that was for those people?"

"Good point," said the Doctor with a smile of his own.

Walking forward, the Doctor suddenly caught sight of his reflection and immediately turned towards it. Thorne watched as he poked and prodded himself, like someone who had just had plastic surgery and hadn't seen the results, it made her want to laugh. It was at that moment that Thorne realised she was completely relaxed around the Doctor! Her anxiety hadn't spiked once and she didn't know whether to be happy about it or scared: a stranger was making her more at ease than her own family!

"Ah, could've been worse," said the Doctor, pulling his ears and nose. "Look at the ears."

"Yeah, they are massive," she giggled when the Doctor turned to her.

"All the same, he was nice. Nice bloke," Rose continued, not hearing anything they were staying.

"Pass those cards," said the Doctor. Thorne, highly amused, complied and handed him the deck.

"Want to see something cool?" he began shuffling the deck. "Luck be a lady."

"Anyway, if we are going to go to the police, I want to know what I'm saying. We want to know."

The cards went flying everywhere and the Doctor sent Thorne an apologetic look as the pair of them quickly grabbed them all.

"Thorne and I want you to explain everything."

"Maybe not," mumbled the Doctor.

The cat flap rattled and both Thorne and the Doctor turned to look.

"What's that, then? You got a cat?" asked the Doctor.

"No," said Thorne, "we used to but –!"

Suddenly the plastic arm from the night before lunged from behind the settee and flew past Thorne, grabbing the Doctor's throat in an iron grip that kept tightening. Thorne immediately ran over to try and help him pull it off but found it impossible, it was almost like it was made of stone. Rose walked into the living room holding two mugs and set them down on the table, taking no notice of the Doctor and Thorne trying to pull off the plastic arm. She just shook her head and assumed they were messing around, it wasn't Thorne's style but it wouldn't be completely out of character.

"I told Mickey to chuck that out," said Rose, "men, you're all the same. And I thought you were better than this Thorne. Give a man a plastic hand," she stopped and turned to look at them. "Anyway, I don't even know your name. Doctor, what was it?"

Summoning strength Thorne didn't know she had, she pulled the plastic arm off the Doctor and threw it into the air. The arm, however, stopped in mid-air and, despite the fact Thorne was closer, flew towards Rose, latching onto her face. She tried to scream but found it impossible as both the Doctor and Rose tried to pull it off of her, causing her to slam down on the coffee table and smash it. The Doctor quickly released the arm and pulled out his blue-tipped device from earlier as Thorne finally managed to remove it from Rose's face, he slammed the device into the palm and Thorne watched as the hand slowly stopped moving.

"It's all right, I've stopped it. There you go, you see?" he threw it at Rose. "Armless."

"Do you think?" Rose hissed, hitting him in the arm with it.

"Ow!"

Soon the Doctor was up again and flying out of the flat door with both Rose and Thorne running behind him. Rose was quicker than Thorne, gymnastics and all, but Thorne kept up easily as they crashed through the stairwell doors and looked over to see the Doctor further down and continuously running with the plastic arm in his hand.

"Hold on a minute. You can't just go swanning off," yelled Rose as she and Thorne ran after him.

"Yes, I can. Here I am. This is me, swanning off. See you."

"But that arm was moving. It tried to kill me!"

"It tried to kill you!" Thorne chimed in looking directly at the Doctor, "and it took two people to get it off."

"Ten out of ten for observation," called the Doctor over his shoulder.

"You can't just walk away. That's not fair. You've got to tell us what's going on," Rose continued, her voice reaching a new, outraged, pitch.

"No, I don't."

They were outside in an instant and the Doctor had nowhere to go as both girls caught up with him. Thorne studied his movements with curiosity, he was used to just leaving without an explanation and having people follow him. Who was he? What was he? A government agent? No, he's too obvious, too recognisable, especially with the leather get up. A journalist? No, journalists would be jumping down their throats so they could get a story, not walking away before they could explain anything.

"All right, then," said Rose finally coming to a stop and causing the Doctor to do the same, "we'll go to the police. We'll tell everyone. You said, if we did that, we'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell us, or we'll start talking."

"Is that supposed to sound tough?"

"Sort of," Rose stuttered.

"In her mind, yes," Thorne agreed. "Though it isn't working..."

Rose sent her younger sister a glare, to which Thorne responded with an innocent look and a slight shrug. She couldn't help it sometimes, her mouth just had a mind of its own when she was in high-stress situations.

"Your sister's right doesn't work. Not on me."

Finally, Thorne had had enough and decided to voice the questions that were swimming around in her mind. She just hoped she remembered to breathe through her next few sentences.

"Excuse me but who exactly are you?" Thorne asked, "I mean, you appear from nowhere to 'save' us from those shop dummies – as if you knew it would happen – then you pull out a bomb and possibly explode our jobs after saying one of our co-workers is dead, and then you appear at our flat – unscathed I might add! – in time to save us again from another attack! I understand not wanting to tell us everything about you, believe me, I do, but can you honestly blame us for asking who you are and wanting to know what's going on?"

"No, I guess I can't," he sighed, "but even if I wanted to tell you – which I don't – I wouldn't know where to start."

"Start with your name," said Thorne.

"Yeah, you said you were a doctor but Doctor what?" said Rose, thankful that her sister had finally managed to get this man to speak.

"Just the Doctor."

"The Doctor," Rose and Thorne repeated.

"Hello!" he waved in a chipper voice.

"Is that supposed to sound impressive?" asked Rose, mimicking him.

"Sort of," said the Doctor.

"Not working," said Thorne.

The Doctor sniffed at her with a look of fake hurt.

"Come on, then. You can tell us. We've seen enough," prodded Rose, "Are you the police?"

"No, I was just passing through. I'm a long way from home."

"But what have I done wrong? How comes those plastic things keep coming after me?" asked Rose.

"Rose, I highly doubt it was after you," said Thorne. Rose turned to look at her sister in shock, having expected Thorne to be on her side. "I'm sorry, okay? But those things defiantly weren't after you. If they were then why would the hand have gone after the Doctor first, despite me being closer? And in the shop, those things only started moving after we got there, if they had been after you they would have moved before that." Rose seemed to be understanding. "Besides, think about it... both times we were attacked he," she pointed at the Doctor, "was either in the room or close enough to us for those things to be mistaken. I think we were just in the way... it was almost hunting you, Doctor, like it was waiting for you to find it. Did I remember to breathe throughout that? I can't tell anymore."

"Thorne's right Rose, It was after me, not you," said the Doctor. "Last night, in the shop, I was there, you blundered in, almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, I was tracking it down, it was tracking me down. The only reason it fixed on you is 'cos you've met me. And yes Thorne, you did remember to breathe."

Thorne was shocked that he hadn’t told her to be quiet, like everyone else did. She tended to babble at lot and even Rose couldn’t deal with it. She usually had to stop herself from going on rants like this.

"Oh good," gasped Thorne. "I forget sometimes... when I need to say a lot..."

"You did fine Thorne... wait so, what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you," said Rose, giving the Doctor a pointed look as she remembered what he had just said.

"Sort of, yeah."

"You're full of it," cried Rose.

"Sort of, yeah," the Doctor said in the same tone.

At the same time, Thorne coughed out the word 'Narcissist' before looking at the pair in front of her with innocent eyes. The Doctor smirked at her and nodded his head, "sort of, yeah."

"But, all this plastic stuff. Who else knows about it?" asked Rose, getting to the heart of the conversation.

"No one."

"Surely the government knows?" said Thorne.

The Doctor shook his head. Thorne thought for a second, she truly didn't believe that the government didn't know anything about this plastic stuff... then again... the government weren't known for being very reliable... okay so maybe she could believe it.

Rose looked ready to say something when something else crossed her mind: "Wait, you're on your own?"

"Well, who else is there? I mean, you lot, all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly, while all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on," said the Doctor.

"War? What war?" asked Thorne, suddenly very aware.

"Okay. Start from the beginning... I mean, if we're going to go with the living plastic, and I don't even believe that, but if we do, how did you kill it?" asked Rose.

"The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead," said the Doctor, waving the arm about to prove his point.

"So, the arm – and everything else with plastic in it, I assume – is either being controlled remotely through a radio, thought control or through a satellite orbiting around Earth which can connect with the WIFI signals and control them that way," said Thorne.

"Thought control," said the Doctor nodding in shock. How could one human child know so much and yet so little? His eyes caught Rose swinging back and forth on her legs and decided to try and bring his thoughts away from the young girl who intrigued him so very much. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah... So, who's controlling it, then?" asked Rose.

"Long story," said the Doctor.

"But what's it all for? I mean, shop window dummies, what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?" said Rose jokingly.

"No."

"No, Rose, just no," Thorne shook her head.

"It's not a price war," said the Doctor. "They want to overthrow the human race and destroy you." he turned and looked at her fully. "Do you believe me?"

"No," said Rose and at the same time Thorne said: "Yes."

"And even though you don't believe me, Rose, you're still listening. Though I wonder if you're listening because deep down you believe me or because you know Thorne will believe me and you want to protect her. I mean, it's admirable, wanting to protect your little sister like that but tell me, do you really want to believe me?"

"Really, though, Doctor. Tell us, who are you?" begged Rose, doing her best to change the subject.

Thorne and Rose moved so that they were now standing next to him in hopes of stopping him from running off again. Slowly, the Doctor turned and gently took their hands. His mind went blank as, almost robotically, he began to speak.

"Do you know like we were saying about the Earth revolving? It's like when you were a kid. The first time they tell you the world's turning and you just can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still. I can feel it. The turn of the Earth. The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling around the sun at sixty-seven thousand miles an hour, and I can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go," he released their hands and suddenly came back to reality. "That's who I am. Now, forget me, Rose and Thorne Tyler. Go home."

The Doctor walked off towards the massive blue police box from earlier and stepped inside. Thorne watched him with confusion as Rose began walking off towards another block of flats. Hearing a rush of air and strange noise Thorne gasped as she watched the blue box dematerialise just as Rose came running back.

"Where did he go?" asked Rose.

"I don't know."

~{RED}~

Rose led Thorne through the twists and turns of Mickey's complex towards his flat. Neither of them spoke as they made it up the stairs, both of them thinking about the strange events that had occurred that morning. The Doctor had disappeared into nowhere right in front of Thorne and she still couldn't believe what she saw. The blue box disappeared! Right in front of her! Like it was never there!

"Thorne," called Rose gaining her attention.

"Right, sorry," said Thorne as they arrived outside Mickey's flat.

Taking out her spare keys, Rose sighed and opened the door, allowing the smell of left-over takeout to waft out of the room. Mickey was sitting in the living room watching the T.V, specifically football, and immediately straightened up upon hearing the door open.

"Hey, hey, here's my woman and my little Rose," cried Mickey with a grin, "Kit off!"

"Shut up," Rose smiled, kissing him.

"Minor in the room!" Thorne gagged.

"Hush you," said Rose, smacking the back of Thorne's head.

"Coffee? Tea?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah, only if you wash the mug. And I don't mean rinse, I mean wash," said Rose going further into the flat and letting Thorne move further. "Can we use your computer?"

"Yeah. Any excuse to get in the bedroom," he suddenly turned around just as Thorne entered the bedroom, "Don't read my emails!"

Slipping into the chair, Thorne immediately pulled up and typed in 'Doctor.' Rose and Thorne shared a look at the 17,700,000 results before trying something else. 'Doctor Living Plastic' gave 55,300 results but the pool was getting closer. 'Doctor Blue Box' gave only 493 results and Thorne grinned upon seeing the top one, it said 'Doctor Who? ...do you know this man contact Clive here' she hastily clicked on the link and waited as a massive blurry image of the Doctor appeared.

"Got him."

"I'll go convince Mickey to drop us off," said Rose.

The moment Rose had left the room, Thorne moved to another tap and began working on the government website. There was no chance that the Doctor hadn't been seen by the government at least once. Grinning, Thorne began hunting through the layers of computer code – making sure she couldn't be traced, because she really didn't want to explain that to Mickey – for any signs of the Doctor. Discovering nothing, she moved on to Unit only to be stonewalled. Thorne growled in frustration and was about to continue with her search when Rose came charging back into the room and Thorne was forced to abandon her search.

She'd try again later.

~{Violets}~

The drive to Clive's house – the man who had made the website and probably had information of the Doctor – was awkward, to say the least. Mickey and Rose had had a massive fight about going and it hadn't of helped that both Rose and Thorne had been very cryptic about their reasons for even knowing this man. Currently, they were crammed into the tiny yellow Beetle in complete silence until they arrived and Mickey mentioned coming in with them.

"You're not coming in," said Rose after his fifth time mentioning it, "He's safe. He's got a wife and kids."

"Yeah, who told you that? He did. That's exactly what an internet lunatic murderer would say," said Mickey.

Thorne watched as one of Clive's neighbours rolled their black wheelie-bin outside and shot Mickey a nasty look. Her anxiety was increasing with every word her friend said and Rose could practically see that.

"Rose... Mickey has a point."

"Thorne, I know your anxious but don't worry, I'll be right by your side."

Nodding, Thorne and Rose got out of the car and crossed the road. They quickly found the correct address and Rose knocked gently on the door, grabbing Thorne's hand to keep her calm. A young boy opened the door, he looked about Thorne's age and raised an eyebrow at them.

"Hello, we've come to see Clive?" said Rose with a smile. "We've been emailing."

"Dad!" he called behind him. "It's one of your nutters!"

An older man – probably late thirties early forties – came to the door with a bright smile on his face. He looked the pair of them up and down before holding his hand out for them to shake, " Oh, sorry. Hello. You must be Rose and Thorne. I'm Clive, obviously."

Thorne's nerves were instantly soothed.

"I'd better tell you now. My boyfriend's waiting in the car, just in case you're going to kill us," joked Rose.

"No, good point. No murders," Clive joked back, waving at Mickey who glared at him.

"Who is it?" a woman's voice called from further in the house.

"Oh, it's something to do with the Doctor. They've been reading the website," Clive called into the house. "Please, come through. I'm in the shed."

Rose held Thorne's hand tightly as they made their way through the immaculate house and outside towards the blue shed. Both girls were eager to learn about the Doctor but Thorne could sense that this wasn't going to be as enlightening as they hoped. Something about the Doctor told her that he wouldn't leave obvious loose ends that would allow someone to track him. It was just a feeling. The calm before the Oncoming Storm.

"A lot of this stuff's quite sensitive. I couldn't just send it to you. People might intercept it if you know what I mean," said Clive. " If you dig deep enough and keep a lively mind, this Doctor keeps cropping up all over the place. Political diaries, conspiracy theories, even ghost stories. No first name, no last name, just the Doctor. Always The Doctor. And the title seems to have been passed down from father to son. It appears to be an inheritance. That's your Doctor there, isn't it?" he asked handing them a picture.

The picture was blurred but Thorne and Rose could both see the Doctor in the picture, the very same Doctor they had met.

"Yeah." Rose agreed.

"That's him," said Thorne.

"I tracked it down to the Washington public archive just last year. The online photo's enhanced, but if we look at the original –," he pulled up a picture of the Kennedy's cortege going through Dallas, the Doctor was a simple face in the crowd but he was looking directly at the camera. "November 22nd, 1963. The assassination of President Kennedy. You see?"

"It must be his father," said Rose.

"Or grandfather."

"Going further back. April 1912. This is a photo of the Daniels family of Southampton, and friend. This was taken the day before they were due to sail off for the New World on the Titanic, and for some unknown reason, they cancelled the trip and survived. And here we are. 1883. Another Doctor," he showed them a sketch. "And look, the same lineage. It's identical. This one washed up on the coast of Sumatra on the very day Krakatoa exploded. The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there. He brings the storm in his wake and he has one constant companion."

"Who's that?" asked Rose, Thorne held her breath.

"Death."

"If the Doctor's back, if you've seen him, Rose, then one thing's for certain. We're all in danger. If he's singled you out, if the Doctor's making house calls, then God help you."

"But who is he? Who do you think he is?"

"I think he's the same man. I think he's immortal. I think he's an alien from another world."

When they returned to the car Mickey was sitting behind the steering wheel with a blank expression on his face. Thorne felt the bad feeling intensify as she sat back in her seat but chose not to comment as Rose hopped in the passenger seat.

"All right, he's a nutter. Off his head. Complete online conspiracy freak. You win! What are we going to do tonight?" said Rose. "I fancy a pizza."

"Pizza! P-p-p-pizza!" repeated Mickey.

"Or Chinese," Thorne suggested.

"Pizza!" Mickey started the engine and began weaving down the road.

The Pizza Restaurant was packed, to say the least. Rose, Thorne and Mickey were sitting near the kitchen as over a dozen people pottered about around them. Thorne began tapping a beat on her arm and focusing on the music that was being played. Mickey's face was focused on Rose.

"Do you think I should try the hospital? Suki said they had jobs going in the canteen. Is that it then, dishing out chips. I could do A Levels. I don't know. It's all Jimmy Stone's fault. I only left school because of him. Look where he ended up. What do you think?" asked Rose drawing Thorne's attention in.

"So, where did you meet this Doctor?" Mickey asked out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry, wasn't I talking about me for a second?" Rose asked.

"Mickey?" asked Thorne.

She had noticed something was off the moment they had entered the restaurant – the moment they had gotten into the car with him – but had dismissed it until now. Neither she or Rose had told Mickey anything about the Doctor other than his name and that they wanted information about it and when they had he had been very disbelieving and didn't want to talk about it.

"Because I reckon it started back at the shop, am I right? Was he something to do with that?" propped Mickey.

"No," said Rose.

"Stop," ordered Thorne, knowing what the Doctor had said before.

"Come on," he continued.

"Sort of," sighed Rose, obviously not seeing any difference in Mickey.

"Rose!" cried Thorne, trying to stop her speaking anymore.

"What was he doing there?" asked Mickey, leaning in.

"I'm not going on about it, Mickey. Really, I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft, but I don't think it's safe. I think he's dangerous," said Rose, finally remembering what the Doctor had said. Thorne was grabbing her hand under the table to stop her speaking anymore.

"He is," said Thorne, "so drop the subject."

"But you can trust me, sweetheart. Babe," his tone dropped, "sugar, babe, sugar," his voice returned to normal, "You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really want to do, sweetheart, babe, babe, sugar, sweetheart."

"What're you doing that for?" asked Rose.

"Mickey, what's wrong?" asked Thorne, anxiety levels rising.

A waiter walked over with a bottle of champagne in his hands and stood next to their table. "Your champagne."

"We didn't order any champagne," said Mickey, "Where's the Doctor?"

"Madam, your champagne.

"It's not ours," said Rose. "Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?"

Thorne looked up and her eyes widened as she spotted the Doctor holding the champagne instead of a waiter. He placed a finger over his lips and signalled towards Mickey who was still focused on Rose.

"I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?" asked Mickey.

"Doesn't anybody want this champagne?"

"Look, we didn't order it," said Mickey. He looked up and smirked upon seeing the Doctor. "Ah. Gotcha."

The Doctor began shaking the bottle vigorously as he pointed it at Mickey, "Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!" The Doctor released the cage around the cork and Thorne watched as it flew straight into Mickey's forehead before Mickey spit it out of his mouth.

"Anyway," Mickey stood up and turned his hand into a chopper. Rose immediately moved away in shock whilst the Doctor pulled Thorne behind him. Mickey destroyed the table and continued towards the Doctor who grabbed Mickey's neck as Thorne axe-kicked his head off.

"That was fantastic!" cried the Doctor.

"That was kick-boxing," said Thorne with a smile.

"Don't think that's going to stop me," said Mickey's head.

The body began flailing out of control. Rose ran over to the fire alarm and pulled it before yelling out, "Everyone out! Out now! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Grabbing Thorne's hand and keeping the head in the other, the Doctor ran through the kitchens with Rose following behind them. The body began following them as well making a wreck of the restaurant as it went. The moment all three of them were outside the Doctor closed the door and used his device on the door, sealing it. Rose ran over to the massive gate only to find it was secured by a padlock which she couldn't pull apart.

"Open the gate! Use that tube thing. Come on!" yelled Rose, in fear.

"Sonic screwdriver," corrected the Doctor.

"Use it!"

Thorne began hyperventilating.

"Nah. Tell you what, let's go in here," said the Doctor with a grin.

The Doctor unlocked the blue box and slipped inside just as the body began hammering on the metal door, making massive dents. Thorne was quick to follow the Doctor and gasped in shock at the beauty within the box. She didn't even notice Rose until she was right beside Thorne.

"It's going to follow us!" cried Rose.

"The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried. Now, shut up a minute," the Doctor ordered. "You see, the arm was too simple, but the head's perfect. I can use it to trace the signal back to the source. Right," he pulled down a lever, "Where do you want to start?"

"Er, the inside's bigger than the outside?" said Rose.

"Yes."

"It's alien."

"Yeah."

"So you were telling the truth about being an alien?" asked Thorne.

"Yes. Is that all right?" asked the Doctor.

"Yeah," said Rose.

"It's more than alright!" said Thorne, excitement overcoming her.

The Doctor grinned at her excitement and began to explain more: "It's called the Tardis, this thing. That's Time And Relative Dimension In Space," said the Doctor.

"She's beautiful," said Thorne. The Tardis brightened. "You're welcome."

"She is," said the Doctor happily.

Suddenly, Rose burst into tears. Thorne's arms immediately went around her older sister and it then sunk in what had just happened making Thorne shake as well.

"That's okay. Culture shock. Happens to the best of us," said the Doctor.

"Did they kill him?" the Doctor looked at her questioningly. "Mickey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?"

Thorne felt fear flood her system.

"Oh. I didn't think of that," said the Doctor.

"He's my boyfriend. You and Thorne pulled off his head. They copied him and you didn't even think?" Rose cried hysterically, "And now you're just going to let him melt?"

"Melt?" the Doctor turned around and groaned as the head began melting onto the console, where the Doctor had hastily attached wires to it. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" he quickly but the Tardis in motion.

"What're you doing?" Thorne asked, grabbing onto the nearest thing that would keep her steady.

"Following the signal. It's fading. Wait a minute, I've got it. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Almost there. Almost there. Here we go!" The shaking stopped as the Doctor ran towards the doors with a massive grin.

"You can't go out there. It's not safe," cried Rose as both she and Thorne followed him.

The moment they stepped outside though they realised something was off. They had moved! They were now on the Thames next to the RAF monument, somewhere Thorne had been hundreds of times when she was angry.

"Oh, that's amazing," gaped Thorne looking around.

"I lost the signal, I got so close," hissed the Doctor.

"We've moved. Does it fly?" asked Rose.

"Disappears there and reappears here. You wouldn't understand."

"She vibrates her molecules and atoms so fast that time and spaces don't matter as she dematerialises whilst we are safe inside another dimension, and the outer box moves wherever it wants," said Thorne.

"How did you—?"

"Sci-fi nerd," said Thorne. "That and I've completed an online quantum physics course."

He stared at her in pure shock but that was soon forgotten as Rose, once again, began to speak.

"If we're somewhere else, what about that headless thing? It's still on the loose," questioned Rose, bringing up an excellent point neither of them had thought about. Or so Thorne believed.

"It melted with the head," said the Doctor. "Are you going to witter on all night?"

"I'll have to tell his mother," the Doctor again looked confused, " Mickey. I'll have to tell his mother he's dead, and you just went and forgot him, again! You were right, you are alien."

"Look, if I did forget some kid called Mickey—!"

"Yeah, he's not a kid," snapped Thorne, "he's my best mate."

"It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape blundering on top of this planet, all right?"

"All right!"

"Yes, it is!"

The three of them cooled down.

"If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the North?" asked Thorne.

"Lots of planets have a north," said the Doctor.

"What's a police public call box?" asked Rose.

"It's a telephone box from the 1950s. It's a disguise."

"Okay. And this, this living plastic. What's it got against us?"

"Nothing. It loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air, perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. Its food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth, dinner!"

"Any way of stopping it?" asked Thorne.

The Doctor pulled a tube of blue liquid out of his pocket and held it up for the pair of them to see, "Anti-plastic."

"Anti-plastic."

"Anti-plastic. But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?"

"Hold on. Hide what?" asked Rose.

"Obviously, you're looking for the transmitter," said Thorne, "thought control, like all types of control, require a type of transmitter to be able to go a long distance."

"You're a genius, you know that," said the Doctor.

"Nope, common sense."

"What's it look like?" asked Rose.

"Like a transmitter. Round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London," immediately both girls spotted it in the centre of the London Eye behind the Doctor. "A huge circular metal structure like a dish, like a wheel. Radial. Close to where we're standing. Must be completely invisible," he noticed their looks. "What?" he turned around. "What?" he turned around again but still couldn't see it, "What? What is it? What? " Suddenly he realised what they were looking at and grinned, "Oh. Fantastic!"

With one girl in each hand, the Doctor ran across Westminster Bridge and towards where the transmitter was located. "Think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to come alive. The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables."

"The breast implants," said the girls said.

"Still, we've found the transmitter. The Consciousness must be somewhere underneath."

"What about down here?" asked Rose pointing down at a large manhole entrance at the bottom of some steps.

"Looks good to me," said the Doctor before the three of them ran towards it. The Doctor easily opened the hatch, exposing the red light inside.

They climbed down slowly – the Doctor going first and Rose going last – into a massive brick-built area with hundreds of chains scattered around. Another door sat at the bottom of the ladder which the Doctor opened and suddenly they were assaulted by the heat.

"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature," said the Doctor pointing towards a massive vat where a creature of plastic sat.

"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go," said Rose.

"I'm not here to kill it," said the Doctor, giving Thorne a measured look. "I've got to give it a chance."

Thorne and Rose watched as the Doctor walked down the catwalk that was overlooking the seething vat. The bad feeling Thorne had been having increased as her heart pounded within her chest. No one noticed Thorne's eyes changing colour from brown to silver.

"I seek an audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation," the vat flexed, "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"

Rose was looking around and spotted Mickey on the lower levels, she immediately ran down towards him causing the Doctor to roll his eyes. Thorne followed after her sister, through remained slightly behind the Doctor as they got down to Mickey's level.

"Oh, God! Mickey, it's me! It's okay. It's all right!" cried Rose hugging Mickey close to her breasts.

"That thing down there, the liquid. Rose, it can talk!" yelped Mickey.

"You're stinking," said Rose. "Doctor, they kept him alive."

"Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy," said the Doctor.

"You knew that and you never said?" hissed Thorne in annoyance.

"Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" the Doctor continued downwards. "Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilisation using warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?" A face formed in the plastic and began trying to speak. "Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights. I am talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go."

"Doctor!"

A pair of shop dummies grabbed the Doctor from behind, keeping him in place above the vat. One of them dipped into the Doctor's pockets and pulled out the vile of anti-plastic. "That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not," it flexed. "What do you mean?" A metal door slid across to reveal the Tardis. "No. Oh, no. Honestly, no. Yes, that's my ship. That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

"What's it doing?!" cried Thorne.

"It's the Tardis! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final phase. It's starting the invasion! Get out, girls! Just leg it now!"

The plastic roared and Thorne ran over to the Doctor. He sent her a panicked but she refused to meet his gaze and instead focused on the creature in the vat. Upon seeing Thorne it immediately stopped and seemed to stare at her with fright, as if it could see something she couldn't, but the dummies didn't come towards her so she assumed it was alright to speak.

"Please, don't harm my planet," said Thorne, the vat flexed, "like the Doctor said, we're young and inexperienced. We don't even know that aliens exist, we had no part in the war that destroyed your home. I'm so sorry you lost everything but think of everything you're destroying by harming us! All the sorrow you must have felt and now you're trying to push that onto us! Please, perhaps if you're willing, we can work something out with you, allow you to remain here and be happy, like together in peace! No one has to die today, no one even has to get hurt. Just don't harm anyone."

Two more dummies grabbed Thorne from behind and pulled her closer to the Doctor, the creature didn't seem to care about what Thorne was saying and continued with the attack as planned. A massive beam of light flooded out of the creature and into the sky as Thorne whimpered.

"It's the activation signal. It's transmitting!" cried the Doctor.

"It's the end of the world," said Thorne.

"Get out, Rose! Just get out! Run!"

"The stairs have gone," Rose yelled as they watched them collapse. Rose tried running to the Tardis but realised too late that she didn't have the key and turned to the Doctor who was being pushed closer to the vat. "I haven't got the key!"

"We're going to die!"

"No!" cried the Doctor.

"Time Lord."

Standing up, Rose looked at the Doctor and her sister before bolting around the chamber.

"Just leave them! There's nothing you can do!" cried Mickey.

Thorne glared at him.

"I've got no A-Levels, no job, no future," said Rose as she grabbed an axe, "But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastics team. I've got the bronze!" Rose slammed the axe into the rope holding the chain and wrapped the chain around her hand. With skill she didn't know she retained, Rose swung out, knocking the dummies away from the Doctor and Thorne and into the vat, including the one with the anti-plastic. The creature turned blue.

"Rose!" cried the Doctor, grabbing her as she swung back. Thorne wrapped her arms around her shoulders and grinned. "Now we're in trouble."

Explosions rang out throughout the chamber as Mickey, holding onto Rose for pure life, followed after the three of them. The Doctor was holding onto Thorne's hand and quickly pushed her into Tardis before running to the console.

"Rose, Rose, don't go out of the house. It's not safe. There were these things, and they were shooting! And they Hello? Hello?" Rose smiled and closed her phone.

Mickey practically lunged towards the door and hid behind a pallet. The Doctor and Thorne remained into the doorway of the Tardis as Rose went to console Mickey.

"A fat lot of good you two were," said Rose.

"Nestene Consciousness? Easy," said the Doctor.

"For Rose," said Thorne grinning at her older sister.

"You were useless in there. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me," said Rose.

"Yes, I would. Thank you. Right then, I'll be off, unless, er, I don't know, you could come with me. This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge," said the Doctor.

"Don't. He's an alien. He's a thing," cried Mickey.

"He's not invited," said the Doctor looking pointedly at Mickey, "What do you think? You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere."

"Is it always this dangerous?" asked Rose.

"Yeah."

"Is it always this fun?" asked Thorne.

"Oh, yeah."

"Yeah, I can't. I've er, I've got to go and find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump, so," said Rose.

"Is that offer open to me?" asked Thorne.

The Doctor nodded.

"Thorne?" said Rose, confused.

"I'm sorry Rose but I can't stay here, my brain is rotting. I have an IQ larger than Albert Einstein and I was working in a shop. I just can't," said Thorne.

"You still not coming?"

"No."

"Okay. See you around," said the Doctor.

"Bye Rose."

They walked into the Tardis and Rose watched as it dematerialised. A few seconds later it returned and the Doctor stuck his head out fully, "By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?"

Rose's face lit up and she turned to Mickey, "Thanks."

"Thanks for what?" asked Mickey.

"Exactly."

Rose quickly kissed Mickey on the cheek before sprinting into the Tardis and Thorne's arms.


	3. Chapter Two: The End of the World

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

* * *

{The Doctor takes Rose and Thorne on their first voyage through time, to the year five billion. The sun is about to expand and swallow the earth. Amongst the alien races gathering to watch, a murderer is at work. Who is controlling the mysterious and deadly spiders? And how does an Alien know who Thorne is?}

* * *

 **Chapter Two:** The End of the World

Thorne immediately pulled Rose over to the console were the Doctor was waiting. The grin on her young face shone brighter than the sun and warmed the heart of the other two within the Tardis. Within seconds the Doctor was dancing around the console, his fingers playing a metallic tune on the different buttons and switches around them, his grin sealed in place by the joy he was seeing all around him. Pressing a button near them, he turned on a green light and looked at the pair inquisitively.

"Right then, Rose Tyler, Thorne Tyler, you tell me," he began. "Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be?"

Thorne gave Rose an encouraging look as she bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet. Rose was grinning with anticipation while Thorne was just enjoying the absurdity of what they were doing. They had just entered a blue box – a _magic_ blue box – with a strange man they had only just met and were now travelling through time and space… wow…

Rose turned to the Doctor and beamed: "Forwards."

"How far?" he asked his eyes on Thorne.

Suddenly, her mind went blank and she said the first thing that entered the silence: "...One hundred years."

The Doctor nodded, punching the number into the computer, and pulled down the lever closest. Thorne grabbed the Tardis' handles as tightly as she could as the console shook and groaned and made the familiar noise she and Rose had heard in the park.

It was almost like they weren’t moving at all, or not that she could tell. The Tardis was filled with blinking lights and a melodies hum that comforted Thorne in ways that she hadn’t been in years. And then, they landed. Or she assumed they landed, the Doctor had relished his tight hold on the controls and was staring at the girls with a look that screamed ‘BE IMPRESSED.’

"There you go," said the Doctor, returning to his upright position and looked at the pair expectantly. "Step outside those doors, it's the twenty-second century."

"You're kidding," gaped Rose.

"I think I’m gonna faint,” chirped Thorne. “I think I’m gonna faint or I’ve already done so and I’m in a coma.”

The Doctor smirked, placing a hand on Thorne’s shoulder, settling her into a chair before she could actually faint.

"That's a bit boring, though," said the Doctor, once Thorne was seated. "Do you want to go further?"

"Fine by me."

"You had me at boring!” said Thorne, grinning like a maniac.

Again, the Doctor punched in some numbers and pulled some levers and they were off. It took slightly longer for the Tardis to land this time around but when they did the Doctor was practically bubbling with excitement.

"Ten thousand years in the future," he said like it was nothing. "Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire."

"You think you're so impressive," Rose laughed.

"I am so impressive," the Doctor mimicked.

"You gotta admit Rose... he has an amazing ship," Thorne pointed out.

"Yes, that makes the ship impressive, not him."

Turning towards the Doctor, Thorne pointed at Rose and said – her face completely innocent – with a completely steady voice:

"Yeah, you're really not impressive."

"Right then, you asked for it," smirked the Doctor his hand hovering over the green light. "I know exactly where to go," immediately he began pulling levers and pushing buttons. "Hold on!"

The Tardis stopped causing the three to jump, Rose slowly got up and looked towards the big blue doors.

"Where are we?" the sisters said at the same time. "What's out there?"

The Doctor said nothing and just motioned towards the doors Rose was looking at. Thorne launched towards them and pulled them open with a look of pure childish glee. The moment her eyes connected with the view outside she gasped and had to be led out by a just as shocked Rose.

They had arrived in a beautiful room that seemed to be something directly out of a sci-fi novel with large clean arches and metal mixed with stunning white marble. They walked down a flight of marble steps and the Doctor pressed a button causing the large shutter on the wall to descend revealing an orbital view of Earth!

"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty-six. Five billion years in your future and this is the day –" the Doctor looked down at his watch. "Hold on," suddenly the sun flared and turned a beautiful shade of red. "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

**"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty-nine followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite,"** the computer called out. **"Followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."**

Thorne was the first to run down the corridor with the Doctor and Rose following along behind her. The floors were sparkling like the stars all around them. She was looking all around with wide, starry eyes and continuously stopped and just pocked something: she wanted to see if it was really real or just a dream. The Doctor had to admit that it was funny seeing Thorne poke different walls and pillars to see what they felt like and if they were real.

"So," Rose began, holding back the laughter that was bubbling in her throat as she watched Thorne poke a pillar so hard that her nail bend, "when it says guests, does that mean people?"

"Depends what you mean by people," said the Doctor. His head was turned slightly in Rose's direction but the majority of his gaze was focused on the fifteen-year-old who was currently sucking her finger to try and stop it hurting.

"I mean people," said the blonde Tyler. "What do you mean?"

"Aliens."

Thorne stopped again and poked something else when the Doctor gently grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her along before she hurt herself anymore. Rose made space between them and rested her hand on Thorne's shoulder to stop her from doing anything else.

"Oh, come on!" moaned Thorne. "I'm just making sure I'm not dreaming."

"Fine," said Rose, a mischievous smirk sliding onto her face. Rose then proceeded to pinch Thorne's arm causing her to yelp.

"Sister abuse!" snapped Thorne, slapping Rose's hand away.

The Doctor just chuckled as Thorne grabbed his jacket and used it as a shield against Rose's reaching arm. This continued for a few seconds before Thorne turned to the Doctor and began to speak: "So... what are we doing on this ship? Or is it more of a platform since it doesn't feel like we're actually moving? What's it all for? Are we meant to be seeing something? Is it a kind of party event?"

"It's not really a spaceship, no, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn," informed the Doctor.

He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and placed it against a wall panel opening a door on the left of them.

"What for?" asked Rose.

"Fun."

~{Roses}~

The trio entered the door and was confronted with a massive area filled with a few display cases and a view of space to the front and above. Thorne sprinted towards the glass and was gaping like a fish as she stared at the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. They were just above Earth, near Russia, and were close to the Sun which seemed to be red and getting ready to expand. Studying the Earth as best she could, Thorne noticed the grey tint it had, and the clouds were so different from the ones that were at home.

"Mind you," said the Doctor, breaking Thorne from her thoughts, "when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich."

"But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years."

"It takes millions," said Thorne, her eyes still on the Earth, "but the degradation begins from the moment the Sun was brought into existence and the expansion only happens when the plasma in the centre of the Sun stops having atoms it can collide together. Though from the look of the Sun," she continued looking up at it, "its reached the stage of collision when the things it's colliding have a larger mass than the plasma colliding it so the Sun can no longer take the weight and needs to expand in order to remove the larger atoms and find new ones it can collide for energy."

"How... how do you know half of this stuff?" asked the Doctor.

"T.V, books, internet. High school..." said Thorne, shrugging.

"So, she's right?" asked Rose. The Doctor nodded. "But that doesn't explain how this can be happening."

"Well, the planet's now the property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there?" the Doctor motioned for Rose to get closer and pointed to the small grey satellites that were hovering around the Earth. There were hundreds and looked like they had been there for a while now seeing as the technology was nowhere near the same level as what this platform was showing. "Gravity satellites holding back the sun."

"The planet looks the same as ever," sniffed Rose. "I thought the continents shifted and things."

"They did, and the Trust shifted them back," said the Doctor happily. "That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over."

"Nature always wins in the end," mumbled Thorne, her head now resting on the glass.

Thorne half wished she had brought along her camera or had charged her phone – which was sitting in her pocket – so she could take pictures and remember what everything looked like. She should have brought her sketchbook and notebook: all this technology was giving her some serious inspiration for her projects back home. Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed onto a set of seven rings she had made when she was younger.

Each one was a simple silver ring with a drop of amber in the centre and in the middle of the amber was the thorn of a purple rose as well as a petal just underneath them. They were the product of her first-ever experiment and as such were very precious to her – they were also her 'good luck' charms that she carried with her everywhere to help her feel more comfortable.

"How long's it got?" asked Rose softly.

"About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted," said the Doctor, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do?" asked Rose, her attention turning from her home to the man who had brought them here. "Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"

"I don't think that's why we're here, Rose," said Thorne.

"Thorne's right," said the Doctor. "I'm not saving it. Time's up."

"But what about the people?"

"Rose, the planets not inhabited anymore and doesn't look like it has been for at least three hundred years," Thorne pointed out. "The planets too healed for anyone to be there."

"So, it's just us then," Rose said.

Suddenly a man with dark blue skin, golden eyes with black slits and wearing black robes strode into the room and gasped at the sight of them.

"Who the hell are you?" the alien asked.

"Oh, that's nice, thanks," the Doctor chuckled.

"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now," he cried, alarmed eyes staring at the three of them.

"That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look," he pulled out a wallet and showed it to the man, Thorne assumed he was a Steward. "There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus two. I'm the Doctor, this is Thorne Tyler, and this is Rose Tyler. They're my plus two. Is that all right?" The Doctor pulled the paper away leaving the Steward very flustered and embarrassed.

"Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy," he strutted before rushing over to a lectern.

"The paper's slightly psychic," the Doctor explained upon seeing Thorne's inquisitive look. "It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."

"He's blue," Rose exclaimed.

"Way to state the obvious Rose," Thorne whispered.

"Okay..." Rose seemed to have gone into a type of shock.

"We have in attendance the Doctor, Thorne Tyler and Rose Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions," the Steward ordered. Hundreds of small people in black suits were rushing around getting things ready as the Steward looked on from the lectern. "Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest?" the Doctor nodded. "Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa."

The green doors opened revealing a beautiful bark-skinned woman in a red dress followed by two male escorts who looked the same. Leaves were coming out of the top of their heads as if it were hair and Thorne thought she pulled it off well.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon," the Steward called.

Another blue alien – though his skin was lighter – entered the room. He was mostly head and body and seemed to be sitting in a transport pod.

"And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme."

A group of people in pure black robes entered the room. They reminded Thorne of death, all that was missing was the scythe.

"The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you."

Fur clad reptilian people entered, and the Steward continued to list off different aliens that were meant to be guests on the ship.

"Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City-State of Binding Light."

The tree people from before walked over to where the three of them were standing. One of them was holding a tray filled with rooted twigs in tiny pots. Quickly she realised that these must be the gifts of peace the Steward had talked about before and found herself reaching into her pocket. Her anxiety was slowly building but Thorne was doing her best to ignore it as Rose rubbed her back to keep her calm.

"The Gift of Peace," Jabe smiled handing Thorne one of the pots. "I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather."

"Thank you," the Doctor smiled. "Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return air from my lungs."

Thorne snickered as he blew air on Jabe and Thorne pulled out one of her rings.

"How intimate," Jabe flirted.

"There's more where that came from," the Doctor grinned.

"I bet there is," Jabe smiled.

"Womanizer," Thorne coughed.

Turning to Thorne, Jabe seemed to be put off by something. She wasn't even looking at Thorne, more something behind her.

"And as a gift of peace," Thorne said causing both Rose and the Doctor to turn to her. "I give you a ring with the thorn and petal of earth rose, perfectly preserved."

Jabe gently took the ring from Thorne with a smile and immediately placed it on her finger.

"I shall wear it as a reminder from whence I came."

"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe," the Steward called.

Thorne's eyes turned and she watched as a large glass case – something that could barely fit through the doorway – entered the room. Inside of it was a giant humanoid head with straggly hair and squinting eyes, it looked to be over a hundred years old and had eyes that were filled with knowledge.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor called.

The blue creature from before whizzed up to them and stared up at the Doctor.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas," he said in a squeaky voice.

Thorne snickered as the Moxx spat on Rose and grabbed another of her rings.

"Thank you very much," the Doctor grinned.

Grabbing a pack of tissues, Thorne handed one to Rose and watched as the men in robes glided towards them.

"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you air from my lungs, and you a ring with the thorn and petal of earth rose, perfectly preserved," the Doctor said gently taking the ring from Thorne and holding it out.

The leader held out a large metal ball towards them.

"A gift of peace in all good faith."

"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen," the Steward called out once more.

Gasping, Thorne watched as a load of people rolled in a face in a piece of thin skin. It was stretched in a rectangular frame and two men dressed in hospital whites followed after her.

"Oh, no, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand," her eyes looked at the two men. "Moisturise me. Moisturise me."

One of her attendance used the pump Rose now spotted and sprayed it all over the thin layer of skin. Cassandra was see-through!

"Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg," an attendant came in holding an outrage egg. "Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity," someone was wheeling in a 50's jukebox. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"

Immediately Rose and Thorne recognised the song as Tainted Love by Soft Cell.

"Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes," the Steward called.

Finally having had enough, Rose bolted out of the room. The Doctor looked at Thorne only to see her breathing rather heavily herself. Gently, he escorted her over towards the green doors the guests had come out of before disappearing off to find Rose. Gripping the remaining ring in her pocket, Thorne slipped through the green doors but immediately stopped as she spotted a familiar tank in the room.

"Sorry," Thorne said once they had noticed her, "I didn't realise anyone was in here, I can go."

"It's perfectly alright," the attendant said, "You're not interrupting anything."

"I wanted to give you this," she handed him a ring. "a ring with the thorn and petal of earth rose, perfectly preserved, as a gift of peace for the Face of Boe."

"Thank you," the attendant said, "I'm sure he shall appreciate it."

"Approach me," the Face of Boe mumbled.

"Please," the attendant gestured to the tank.

Slowly, Thorne made her way to the front of the tank and was finally able to get a look at the creature inside. The face of Boe lived up to his name, he was just a FACE! His skin resembled that of an old person but it was like he never stopped growing until now. His eyes held so much wisdom but also so much sorrow and there was also a flash of recognition in his eyes.

"Hello," Thorne said softly, "I'm Thorne."

"Hello Thorne, it is a pleasure to meet you," his voice was slow and his lips didn't fully move. It was almost like he was telepathic because of how little his mouth moved and yet his voice was so clear and deep and gravelly and aged. "Pray tell, why are you here?"

"I'm not a fan of crowds... I tend to-to not do well in them," Thorne answered.

"Ah, that explains it."

The two were just looking at each other for a few moments before the Face of Boe spoke again: "How old are you, Thorne?"

"Fifteen," said Thorne. "And you?"

"Oh... I'm so old I can no longer remember my age," he said.

"Is that just your excuse so you don't have to say you're old?" asked Thorne with a tiny grin.

"Perhaps."

Upon hearing the sound of the Doctor's shoes hitting the marble floor, Thorne bid the two a quick goodbye before running outside to meet the Doctor. The assistance looked at him with a raised eyebrow knowing that his patient wanted to speak.

"Sir?"

"It's her... it's been so long since I've seen her."

"She didn't recognise you," said the attendant.

"She has yet to meet me."

~{Are}~

"Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to Steward's office immediately. Guests are reminded that use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden under the Peace Treaty five point four slash cup slash sixteen. Thank you."

He was so busy talking he didn't notice the ball hatching behind him and a metal spider running out.

**"Earth Death in twenty-five minutes. Earth Death in twenty-five minutes."**

Thorne couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the small attendants roll the Tardis away to the proper zone. The Doctor was eying them like a hawk, making sure they didn't scratch his precious machine, as they walked past.

"Oi, now, careful with that. Park it properly. No scratches," the Doctor ordered.

One of the attendants waddled up to the Doctor and handed him a ticket, she glanced over at it and chuckled: it said

_Have A Nice Day._

"Come on Doctor, I want to find my sister this century," said Thorne pulling him along.

"Where did you disappear off to?" the Doctor asked, referring to when she left him.

"I went to talk to the Face of Boe, give gifts and such," Thorne answered.

"Good to know," the Doctor nodded.

Soon they found Rose sitting alone in the observation room they had arrived in. She was staring out at the Earth with a melancholic expression that brightened slightly when she spotted Thorne making her way over.

"Rose? Are you in there?" the Doctor asked, they spotted her and quickly made their way over to where she was sitting. "Aye, aye. What do you think, then?"

"Great. Yeah, fine," Rose nodded. "Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien."

"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South," said the Doctor.

"Where are you from?" Thorne asked plopping down next to Rose.

"All over the place."

"They all speak English," said Rose.

"No, you just hear English. It's a gift of the Tardis. The telepathic field gets inside your brain and translates."

"It's inside my brain?" Rose gaped.

"Well, in a good way."

"Cool!"

"Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?" Rose hissed.

The Doctor looked at her in confusion.

"I didn't think about it like that," the Doctor said.

"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?" Rose questioned enraged.

"I'm just the Doctor," the Doctor said.

Thorne looked between them and suddenly gained flashbacks to high school. Her heart began to beat loudly, and her anxiety began kicking into a horrible degree.

"From what planet?"

"Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!"

"Where are you from?"

"What does it matter?"

"Tell me who you are!"

"This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me," the Doctor yelled.

"Yeah, and we're here too because you brought us here, so just tell me!" Rose yelled back.

Thorne immediate stood up causing both adults to look at her as she moved away from them and towards the back wall. Rose knew instantly what was wrong and quickly made her way over to where Thorne was rocking backwards and forwards. The Doctor did nothing but watch with worry-filled eyes.

**"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes."**

"All right," Rose began as Thorne calmed down. "As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver," she glanced at her phone. "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."

"Tell you what," the Doctor smiled. Grabbing Rose's phone he took off the back with a goofy grin that seemed to make Thorne feel better. "With a little bit of jiggery-pokery."

"Is that a technical term, jiggery-pokery?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I came first in jiggery-pokery. What about you?"

"No, she failed hullabaloo," Thorne joked, her voice shaking.

"Oh," the Doctor snickered. "There you go."

Almost instantly, Rose punched in her home phone number and placed it to her ear. Thorne moved next to her, placing her ear to the other side of the phone.

"Hello?" their mum's voice called.

"Mum?" Rose gasped.

"Oh, what is it? What's wrong? What have I done now? Oh, this red top's falling to bits. You should get your money back. Go on. There must be something, you never phone in the middle of the day," Jackie rambled as Rose began to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. You all right, though?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Jackie asked.

"What day is it?" Rose asked.

"Wednesday, all day. Did you get a hangover? I hope you didn't let Thorne drink anything. Oh, I tell you what. Put a quid in that Lottery syndicate. I'll pay you back later."

"Yeah, er, I was just calling 'cos Thorne and I might be late home," said Rose.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No. I'm fine. Top of the world," Rose grinned.

"That was amazing," Thorne mumbled.

"Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill," the Doctor grinned.

"That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead," Rose mumbled.

"Awe Rose! Don't bring me down now," Thorne cried.

"Bundle of laughs, you are," the Doctor said. Suddenly the entire ship shuddered and Thorne watched as the force field surrounding the platform began sparking like it was failing. "That's not supposed to happen."

"Well, what was it? I'm just getting green lights at this end," said Steward looking at the computer.

"Honoured guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thanking you," the Steward over the tannoy.

"Indubitably, this is the Bad Wolf scenario. I find the inherent laxity of the on-going multiverse," the Moxx.

Thorne followed the Doctor and Rose as they practically ran back toward the main area where the guests were waiting. Gasping, Thorne was going to have to ask the Tardis for a gym if this was the amount of running she would have to keep up throughout their travels.

"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?" the Doctor asked.

"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me," Jabe answered.

"The entire place just heated up point three degrees," Thorne pointed out. “And the hum of the engines just clicked – engines never click! They grunt, they whine, they roar, they tick but they never click! Clicking is bolts loosening.”

"Where's the engine room?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wife and daughter," she said.

"She's not my wife and Thorne isn't my daughter," the Doctor gaped.

"Partner?" she asked referring to Rose.

"No"

"Concubine?"

"Nope."

"Prostitute?"

"Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind?" Rose hissed. "Tell you what, you three go and pollinate. I'm going to catch up with family. A quick word with Michael Jackson."

Rose began walking away as Thorne yelled out: "No catfights!"

"We're all yours," the Doctor grinned offering Jabe his arm.

"And I want you home by midnight," Rose called.

**"Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes."**

Thorne followed alone as the Doctor led her and Jabe into the maintenance duct. They were surrounded by giant metal coils and wiring, Thorne was quickly reminded of her old engineering class and her mind instantly jumped from side to side naming all of the components she could see.

"Who's in charge of Platform One? Is there a Captain or what?" the Doctor asked.

"There's just the Steward and the staff," Jabe explained. "All the rest is controlled by the metal mind."

"You mean the computer?" Thorne asked Jabe nodded. "But who controls that?"

"The Corporation," she answered. "They move Platform One from one artistic event to another."

"But there's no one from the Corporation on board," asked the Doctor.

"They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha class. Nothing can go wrong."

"Unsinkable?" the Doctor joked.

"If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate."

"You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg. It wasn't half cold. So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble there's no one to help us out?"

"I'm afraid not.," Jabe said.

"Fantastic," the Doctor grinned.

"I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?" Jabe asked.

"Don't try Jabe," said Thorne. "Even I don't understand him."

Moving through the veins of the platform made Thorne somewhat giddy. There was so much stuff presented to her that she could use when working on her robots and machines. Her eyes were jumping from left to right as she followed behind Jabe and the Doctor, further into the platform.

"So tell us, Jabe, what's a tree-like you doing in a place like this?" the Doctor asked.

"Respect for the Earth," Jabe answered.

"Oh, come on. Everyone on this platform's worth zillions," the Doctor prodded.

"Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions," Jabe smiled.

"In case your share prices drop? I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots, and there's always money inland," said the Doctor.

"All the same, we respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is the only one. I'm another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest," Jabe said.

"So that's what you meant when I gave you that ring?" Thorne asked. “You’re actually a decedent of the Earth? Wow, guess we’ve got something in common.”

"Yes... the ring will be a reminder of my family legacy… I like it very much. It’s nice to have someone else to speak to about my origins, not many others like those who come from the Earth."

"Excuse me," the Doctor said squeezing past Jabe and scanning a door panel.

The Doctor began tapping one of the screens which kept coming up with Access Denied.

"And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left. I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species. It refused to admit your existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from," Jabe said. Thorne looked at the Doctor and was shocked to see a few tears forming in his eyes. "Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am."

Gently Jabe placed her hand on the Doctor's shoulder in a comforting way and the Doctor smiled at her. They stayed like that for a moment before the Doctor opened the door and they went inside the engine room. The sheer force of the wind almost knocked Thorne off of her feet had it not been for Jabe and the Doctor who was holding her arms. Gigantic fans ran through the entire platform and cut just above a catwalk.

"Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?" The Doctor joked.

"Doctor, no... just no," Thorne shook her head. “That’s a bad pun even for me.”

"Fair do's, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro," he grinned. He quickly scanned one of the panels and grinned upon finding what he was looking for. "Gotcha," suddenly a small metal spider ran out of the metal. "What the hell's that?"

"Is it part of the retro?" Jabe asked.

"No way, that looks like one of my robotics projects back home!" Thorne gaped. “Though… somewhat worse?”

"Hold on," the Doctor ordered.

He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the spider as it began running away. Seeing that the Doctor couldn't do anything, Jabe's arms extended and she grabbed the spider before bringing it down to them.

"That was awesome!" Thorne gasped.

Jabe smiled at her in amusement as she handed the Doctor the metal spider. Thorne couldn’t stop staring at Jabe’s now normal arm with a look of pure childish curiosity.

"Hey, nice liana," the Doctor grinned.

"Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public," Jabe smiled.

"Why not? Those are cool," Thorne grinned.

"Yeah, Thorne’s right… but don't worry, we won't tell anybody. Now then," he picked the spider up and scanned it over. "Who's been bringing their pets on board?"

"What does it do?" Thorne asked.

"Sabotage."

**"Earth Death in ten minutes."**

"And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on," the Doctor ordered.

**"Earth Death in ten minutes."**

Smoke was flooding the hallway as the three of them ran back towards the other guests. A harsh white glare shone through the small window as hundreds of attendants gathered around the window, looking in to see if the Steward was okay.

"Hold on. Get back," the Doctor ordered.

Everyone moved back as the sonic was pushed against the small panel.

**"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."**

"Is the Steward in there?!" Jabe asked.

"You can smell him," Thorne gagged. “Oh God, poor guys.

"Hold on," the Doctor said. "There's another sun filter programmed to descend."

Immediately the Doctor grabbed Thorne's wrist and pulled her along as they ran towards the next sun filter. Jabe was running behind them, very concerned and fearful as she watched people rush past to get to the steward.

**"Sun filter descending.”**

The Doctor quickly forced his screwdriver against the panel.

"Anyone in there?" Thorne yelled.

"Let me out!" Rose's voice called.

"Oh, well, it would be you," the Doctor yelled.

Thorne froze. Her heart pounding in her chest. Rose was inside the room about to be cooked alive if the Doctor couldn't stop it. She was about to lose her sister. She had no more rings left. No way to calm herself down. If the Doctor didn't stop that filter soon she was going to have a full-on panic attack! Jabe was attempting to keep Thorne calm, but she wasn’t fully successful, it was taking all of Thorne’s energy to keep herself from falling unconscious from the fear.

"Open the door!" Rose yelled.

"Hold on. Give us two ticks," the Doctor called.

**"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending,"** the computer called out. **"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising,"** the Doctor let out a sigh of relief. **"Sun filter descending."**

"Just what we need. The computer's getting clever," the Doctor hissed.

"Stop mucking about!" Rose cried.

"I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back!" the Doctor yelled back.

"Open the door!" cried Thorne, panicking.

"I know!"

"The lock's melted!" said Rose.

**"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."**

"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors," the Doctor yelled. "Stay there! Don't move!"

"Where are am I going to go, Ipswich?" Rose snarled. "Just look after my baby sister! If you don't then I will personally kill you, Doctor!"

**"Earth Death in five minutes."**

"Thorne?" the Doctor said softly.

"I'm fine..." Thorne nodded, "I'm fine now that Rose is."

"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One," Jabe explained once she had everyone gathered around her.

"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall," Cassandra hissed. "Moisturise me, moisturise me."

"Summon the Steward!" the MOXX ordered.

"I'm afraid the Steward is dead," Jabe continued.

"Who killed him?"

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face," Cassandra said.

"Easy way of finding out," said the Doctor storming into the room. Thorne was following after him and quickly walked over to were the Face of Boe was waiting. "Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master."

Thorne watched as the Doctor put the spider down on the ground. It began scanning everyone as it moved around the room before going over to the people in black robes. They didn’t even react, not even the slightest shift, and suddenly Thorne realised that they weren’t acting like normal people… because they weren’t!

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra called.

"That's all very well, and kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," he walked over to where the Adherents were standing. The leader tried to hit him but the Doctor easily grabbed the arm and pulled it off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea. Remote-controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home," the Doctor kicked the spider and everyone watched as it returned to Cassandra.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!"

The attendants raised their spray guns.

"What are you going to do, moisturise me?" the Doctor asked.

"With acid," Cassandra smirked. "Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax-free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face."

"Honey, you're not even that," Thorne hissed.

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous," Cassandra grinned.

"Five billion years and it still comes down to money," the Doctor growled.

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this?" Cassandra asked, her eyes narrowed. "Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours."

"Arrest her, the infidel!" the MOXX ordered.

"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option."

**"Earth Death in three minutes."**

"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn," Cassandra cackled.

"Then you'll burn with us," Jabe pointed out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate," Cassandra yelled.

Thorne grabbed onto the Face of Boe's tank as the entire platform shook. A series of powerful explosions echoed around them and Thorne could feel her anxiety rising to leaves she didn't even realise was there.

"Forcefields are gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me."

**"Safety systems failing."**

"Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings."

Everyone watched as Cassandra and her people teleported out and almost immediately all eyes were on the Doctor as Thorne felt the room begin to heat up.

**"Heat levels rising."**

"Reset the computer," the MOXX ordered.

"Only the Steward would know-how," Jabe said.

"And besides, the only controller was the one that is now burned in his office, we'd never get it working in time," Thorne continued. "But there is a manual override."

"And how do you know that?" Jabe asked.

"There has to be. In case of an emergency they have to have a main override switch just in case something malfunctions and the people on the platform need to reset the computer. Problem is... I think I saw it in the engine room… and I don’t think we’re going to like where it’s located in the engine room."

"Then we'll just have to go and find out," the Doctor said. "Thorne, Jabe come with me. The rest of you just chill."

**"Heat rising. Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."**

They ran towards the engine room and looked around for the switch. Immediately Thorne spotted something sticking out from the other end of the fans and quickly hit the Doctor to show him that. The fans were moving far too fast in an attempt to keep the engine cool.

"Oh. And guess where the switch is."

**"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."**

Quickly the Doctor pulled the breaker causing the fans to slow down but they sped up once more when he let go.

**"External temperature five thousand degrees."**

Instantly Jabe grabbed the breaker and held it down with all her might.

"You can't," Thorne gasped. "The heat's going to vent through this place. Let me do it in your place!”

"No, little one," Jabe smiled. "I'll be fine."

"Jabe, you're made of wood," the Doctor cried.

"Then stop wasting time, Time Lord."

Time Lord? Why does that sound familiar?

**"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising. Heat levels hazardous."**

Grabbing Thorne but the wrist, the Doctor pushed her past the first fan, though her eyes never left Jabe. She couldn't believe the woman would do something like this! She was made of a flammable material! She could have let Thorne hold it down. Sure, it would burn her hands, but she’d survive! She wanted to run back and trade places with Jabe but the Doctor kept a tight hold on her wrist.

**"Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."**

Moving through the second fan the Doctor breathed a sigh of relief and glanced back at Jabe.

**"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."**

Hearing a gut-wrenching scream, Thorne watched as Jabe began to combust causing her to let go of the breaker as she burned to death, Thorne was about to run back, to save Jabe only for the Doctor to stop her with a hand on her wrist.

“Jabe!” sobbed Thorne. “I’m sorry!”

Thorne felt tears roll down her face but didn't let it get to her as she turned to the Doctor. He, too, looked heartbroken but she didn't know whether that was from what happened to Jabe or the fact that Thorne had seen it happen.

"What do we do?" Thorne asked.

"Stay here," the Doctor ordered.

"You can't go through there! You'll die!" cried Thorne. “Those fans will rip you apart!”

"Watch me!"

**"Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five,"**

Shutting his eyes, the Doctor stepped through the fan and ran towards the reset.

**"Four."**

He stared at Thorne and threw the reset open and grabbed onto the bar.

"Raise shields!"

**"One. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair."**

Thorne walked back over to Jabe's smoking remains and gently picked them up. The Doctor watched her with a sorrowful gaze and slowly led her back towards the observation room. The moment they entered Thorne walked over to where the two trees were standing and carefully handed them Jabe's remains, they both looked at each other before handing her back the ring that she had given Jabe.

"Thank you," Thorne smiled softly.

Turning around, Thorne spotted the MOXX of Balhoon's chair and the blue alien's remains inside it. Rose ran over to where Thorne was standing and gave her a massive hug, refusing to let go no matter how much Thorne wanted her to.

"You all right?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby," the Doctor grinned. He walked over to the ostrich egg and punched it revealing a small device. "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed." Pressing his sonic to the device they all watched as Cassandra beamed back in.

"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces," suddenly Cassandra realised where she was. "Oh."

"The last human," the Doctor spat.

"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club," Cassandra stuttered.

"People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them," Thorne growled.

"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries," Cassandra grinned. "Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter –"

"And creak?" Thorne asked.

"And what?"

"Creak. You're creaking," the Doctor elaborated.

"What? Ah! I'm drying out!" Cassandra gasped. "Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"

"You raised the temperature," the Doctor grunted.

"Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything," Cassandra gasped.

Thorne watched as Cassandra began turning red and she began drying out.

"Help her," Rose begged.

"Everything has its time and everything dies," the Doctor dismissed.

Quickly Rose covered Thorne's eyes before she could see anything.

"I'm too young!" Cassandra cried.

And then she exploded.

"Shuttles four and six departing. This unit now closing down for maintenance."

The three of them were staring out of the window as the chunks of Earth flew past. Thorne was staring at the giant red sun as tears filled her eyes.

"The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just –"

"Come with me."

The Doctor led the Tyler sister's out and into the streets of London, which were packed with people going about their daily lives.

"Big Issue! Big Issue!" a man called.

"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky," he took a breath. "My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time."

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"There was a war and we lost," he answered.

Thorne wrapped her arms around his waist with a small smile.

"A war with who? What about your people?" Thorne asked softly.

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else."

"There's us."

"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?"

"Hell Nah," Thorne grinned.

"I don't know. I want. Oh, can you smell chips?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. Yeah," the Doctor nodded.

"I want chips," Rose grinned.

"Me too," the Doctor nodded.

"Me three!"

"Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay," Rose grinned.

"No money."

"What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close," Rose smiled.

"Rose, you haven't got money either," Thorne pointed out.

"Alright... I'll pay you back!"

"Fine but you're going to pay me back and I charge interest!"

Back in the Tardis, Rose and the Doctor stood in the main console room while Thorne wandered off into the Tardis. She intended to find some way to find more information on different aliens and their cultures, she wanted to prove that she belonged to be there despite her shortcomings when it came to her anxiety. Gently running her fingers along the side of the Tardis, she came to the corridor with a door to the left and a door to the right.

"Which one leads to the library?" Thorne asked the Tardis.

The door to the left opened revealing a massive chamber filled with books. The chamber was at least three stories high and was full of different books in different languages. There was an exquisite chandelier in the centre of the chamber and hundreds of plush seats on the bottom floor. It was like someone had reached into Thorne's mind and had crafted the library of her dreams.

"Thank you, Tardis," said Thorne with a grin. "Which book should I start with though?"

Suddenly, a pile of hardback, leather-bound books appeared on the table nearest to her. Thorne eagerly walked over and picked up the first book, read it carefully it said: 'The complete works of Charles Dickens.' Thorne glanced up at the Tardis and smiled, "Is this a hint at our next adventure?" The room brightened before dimming again and Thorne nodded. "Thanks for the warning."

Settling down in one of the plush seats, Thorne pulled open the book and began to read. She was completely unaware that the Doctor was looking for her until he arrived in the library and even then she didn't respond until he cleared his throat. Immediately, she looked up at him and dropped the book she had just finished watching as it disappeared back onto the shelf it had come from.

"I see that Tardis led you to the Library," said the Doctor with a smirk.

"What can I say? I love books and I love the Tardis for letting me see these books," said Thorne happily.

"You've been here for three hours," said the Doctor, "come on, you humans need sleep after all."

"What? You have a bedroom here?"

"I have more than one," said the Doctor. "The Tardis will make one based on your personal style choices and hobbies."

"Cool!"

The Doctor grinned and helped her stand, leading her out of the library just as the door on the right opened revealing an empty bedroom. Thorne's eyes widened as she spotted this and the Doctor pushed her into the bedroom, both of them watching as it changed to fit Thorne's style.

The bed was now a four-poster with a thick, blue duvet and plush pillows. There was a bookcase next to the door filled with books Thorne had read and wanted to read again and there was a desk next to the bed with a giant pad of paper and some pens next to it. The desk was also beneath a window that reflected the outside of the Tardis, like the monitor in the console room. The whole room was in different shades of blue and it even had a wardrobe with a pair of Ravenclaw pyjamas in it.

"I love the Tardis," said Thorne again.

"You've got a good taste in colour," said the Doctor smiled. "Well, I'll leave you to sleep. The Tardis will wake you up when you're fully rested."

"Doctor!" Thorne called before he could leave. He returned. "Thank you... for all of this... you don't know how much I-we appreciates you letting us runaway with you."

"Who am I to stop someone running?" said the Doctor before finally leaving.

After all, all I ever do is run. The Doctor returned to the console room and placed both hands on the controls. He looked around at the Tardis and sighed, dropping into one of the seats, before falling asleep. For the first time in a while.

* * *

**Next:** {The Doctor takes Rose and Thorne back through time to 1869, but in Victorian Cardiff, the dead are walking and creatures made of gas are on the loose. The time-travellers team up with Charles Dickens to investigate Mr Sneed, the local undertaker.}


	4. Chapter Three: The Unquiet Dead

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

* * *

{The Doctor takes Rose and Thorne back through time to 1869, but in Victorian Cardiff, the dead are walking and creatures made of gas are on the loose. The time-travellers team up with Charles Dickens to investigate Mr Sneed, the local undertaker.}

* * *

**Chapter Three:** The Unquiet Dead

Thorne watched, highly amused, as the Doctor tried to teach Rose how to fly the Tardis. It had started out as a harmless dare that had escalated into actually trying to fly the complex ship to a destination of Rose's choice. She was struggling though, greatly, and Thorne was suddenly very glad she had declined the Doctor's offer to teach her. She was sitting in one of the seats with another of the Charles Dickens books in her hands – A Christmas Carol this time – she had slowly gotten through almost all of the Charles Dickens books the Tardis had given her when she had discovered the library and she couldn't wait to visit him.

The Tardis seemed to be very fond of Thorne, in the Doctor's opinion. The magnificent ship never usually allowed anyone into the library, nor did she help them pick out books, because of the Gallefrayan History Book he kept inside. He wasn't afraid of Thorne seeing it, the Tardis had moved the book from its usual resting place, he just didn't understand why the Tardis would take a risk as big as that by allowing Thorne into the library. It wasn't like Thorne wouldn't eventually find the book and be curious, she was a very curious girl after all.

"Hold that one down!" ordered the Doctor, pointing towards a switch. Rose was already holding one down on the other side of the console which the Doctor didn't seem to notice.

"I'm holding this one down," objected Rose.

"Well, hold them both down," said the Doctor as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's not going to work," said Thorne, imitating Hermione Granger from the Goblet of Fire.

Rose tried her best to stretch across half the console but, as Thorne had said, it didn't work. Thorne snickered and stood up, pulling down the switch and holding it as Rose sent her a thankful look.

"Oi! I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting," grinned the Doctor. "Now, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. 1860. How does 1860 sound?"

"What happened in 1860?" asked Rose, her blonde eyebrow raised.

Charles Dickens thought Thorne with a small grin. The seat she was sitting on seemed to heat up like the Tardis had read her mind and agreed with her.

"I don't know, let's find out. Hold on, here we go!" the Doctor pulled down a variety of levers and soon they were spiralling off into space. Thorne immediately grabbed the nearest thing to steady her as the Tardis bounced and bumped around.

"Blimey!" cried Rose as the three of them were thrown to the floor at the sudden impact.

"You're telling me. Are you all right?" asked the Doctor, looking between the girls with a raised eyebrow.

"Not dead so I'm great," said Thorne as her book disappeared.

"Yeah. I think so…” Rose quickly moved all of her bones. “Nothing broken. Did we make it? Where are we?"

"I did it. Give the man a medal. Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860," cheered the Doctor.

"Well done, narcissist,” said Thorne, chuckling slightly.

"That's so weird. It's Christmas," said Rose standing up.

"All yours," said the Doctor.

"But, it's like, think about it, though. Christmas. 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again. Except for you. You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still," said Rose, thinking aloud.

"Not a bad life," said the Doctor with a nostalgic smile.

"Better with three," grinned Thorne.

"Come on, then," cried Rose, pulling Thorne towards the doors.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" asked the Doctor with a raised eyebrow.

"1860, where else?" asked Thorne.

"Go out there dressed like that, you'll start a riot, Barbarella. There's a wardrobe through there. First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left. Hurry up!" ordered the Doctor.

Rose and Thorne moved throughout the twists and turns of the Tardis, finally ending up in the wardrobe area. It was over five stories high and was filled with different styles of clothing, all were separated by dates, both male and female in every size. Thorne wondered for a moment where the Doctor had gotten them from but shook the question off upon hearing her sister's squeal.

The eldest Tyler had run towards a dressing room with an arm full of dresses while Thorne wandered the racks and found the correct date and size. Immediately a beautiful red dress caught her eye, it reminded her of Jabe's dress. Poor Jabe... Thinking slowly, Thorne grabbed the dress and slipped into the dressing room watching with fascination as a pair of comfortable red-heeled shoes appeared next to her and a pair of red gloves as well. Grinning, Thorne easily slipped into the dress and shoes before exiting the dressing room.

Rose was already far ahead of Thorne as she was talking to the Doctor but all talk stopped when Thorne entered the room.

"Blimey!" cried the Doctor.

"Thorne!"

"Don't laugh," begged Thorne, "I could always go and find something else..."

"You look beautiful," said the Doctor, "really beautiful."

"Aren't you going to change?" asked Thorne.

"I already asked him that, said he'd changed his jumper," said Rose giggling.

Thorne looked at his jumper and shook her head. He hadn’t changed it at all, it was the same woolly one he had been wearing since they’d met him. Though she supposed it didn’t matter since he was a man and therefore anything he did wasn’t truly questioned.

"Come on," said the Doctor, rolling his eyes.

"You stay there. You've done this before. This is ours," said Rose. Thorne grinned as she felt Rose grab her wrist and run towards the Tardis doors.

The moment the Tardis doors opened Thorne and Rose were assaulted with the cold wind but that didn't seem to matter as they watched snowflakes sprinkle down around them. The Tardis was parked in an alley of some houses and that was the only thing protecting the majestic blue box from the snow. Rose gingerly stepped onto the fallen snow as the Doctor appeared behind Thorne.

"Ready for this? Here we go. History" said the Doctor with a grin. He gently took Thorne's arm in his and all three of them walked down the road to explore.

They walked in awed silence down the road. Thorne's eyes jumped from place to place with an expression of pure wonder. History had always been her favourite subject at school and now she had the chance to live it. There was a choir just to the right of them singing 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' which only stopped when a hearse appeared beside them. The Doctor picked up a newspaper and sent an apologetic look towards the girls.

"I got the flight a bit wrong," said the Doctor.

"I don't care," said Rose

"It's not 1860, it's 1869. "

"Still not caring," said Thorne.

"And it's not Naples."

"We don't care."

"It's Cardiff."

Rose immediately stopped in her tracks. "Right."

"Who cares?" asked Thorne, "it isn't our Cardiff so what does it matter."

Rose's face immediately brightened at that thought and they resumed walking towards a theatre. The Doctor led them further down the street, wrapping an arm around Thorne as she shivered against him, as horses and carriages moved past them. Snow crunched beneath their feet and Thorne couldn't stop humming the songs she was hearing all around her.

Suddenly, they heard screaming.

"That's more like it!" both Thorne and the Doctor cried.

Immediately they bolted inside the theatre. The Doctor kept a strong grip on Thorne's arm as he pulled her further inside. They both gasped upon seeing blue entities flying around the auditorium originating from a woman on the balcony area. The more Thorne looked at the woman, the more she realised that this woman wasn't among the living.

"Stay in your seats, I beg you. It is a lantern show. It's trickery," cried the man on the stage.

The police began arriving outside, Thorne could hear the shrill whistles calling out. The Doctor dragged her forward before releasing her wrist as he began speaking to the man on the stage. "Fantastic," Thorne watched the corpse collapse. "Did you see where it came from?"

"Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!"

Both Rose and Thorne spotted two people picking up the corpse and rushing off with her. The sisters shared a look and immediately began running off after them.

"Oi! Leave her alone! Doctor, we'll get them."

Running outside, Thorne and Rose immediately made their way towards the hearse where a woman was loading the corpse into the back.

"What're you doing?!" cried Rose.

"Oh, it's a tragedy, miss. Don't worry yourself. Me and the master will deal with it. The fact is, this poor lady's been taken with brain fever and we have to get her to the infirmary."

Thorne gently placed her fingers on the corpse's wrists and shook her head angrily. "She's cold. She's dead! Oh, my God, what'd you do to her?"

A man snuck up behind Rose and passed a pad of cloth over her mouth causing her to pass out. Thorne was about to cry out before he repeated it with her. She blacked out quickly but not before seeing a blue entity flying towards them.

Waking up was after being knocked out and kidnapped was not an experience Thorne would ever wish to repeat. Her head was foggy and her eyes seemed unable to focus like there was something in the corner of her eyes that kept moving but wouldn't let her see it. Her entire body felt weak and lacking any of the usual strength that had kept her working throughout her life. She groaned. Rose was by her side in an instant, wrapping her arms around her younger sister and crushing Thorne against her chest. Thorne returned the hug and stood up allowing them both to look around.

Thorne turned her attention to the coffins in the room and gasped as the man's eyes flew open. He groaned, releasing spurts of blue gas, and turned his head slowly towards them.

"Are you all right?" Rose asked he continued to groan like a zombie. "You're kidding me, yeah? You're just kidding. You are kidding us, aren't you?"

Slowly, and with great effort, the man grabbed the edge of the coffin and began pulling himself up. Rose instantly pushed Thorne behind her, despite Thorne knowing how to defend herself, and the pair began backing up towards the door. He stumbled towards them, hands outstretched to wrap around their necks.

"Okay, not kidding," gulped Thorne.

Both girls bolted towards the door and banged against it as hard as they could.

"Let us out!" Rose yelled, "Open the door! Please, please, let us out! Let us out! Somebody open the door! Open the door!"

Thorne was grabbed from behind by the man causing her to scream. She felt his arm stop a centimetre from her neck as if something was telling him not to hurt her. She didn't have long to contemplate this as the Doctor kicked the door in and forced Rose out before turning his attention to Thorne.

"I think this is my dance," said the Doctor, pulling Thorne out of the man's grip and thrusting her behind him.

"It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence," said an older man with a large beard. He was beside the Doctor in an instant and was staring at the two walking corpses with confusion and outrage.

"No, we're not. The dead are walking," he turned to Thorne and Rose, "Hi."

"Hi. Who's your friend?" asked Thorne gesturing to the other man.

"Charles Dickens."

"No..."

"Yep."

"Please tell me you're not joking!" begged Thorne.

"Nope."

"I love you," grinned Thorne kissing him on the cheek. The Doctor blushed.

Moving Thorne out of the way, the Doctor stepped in front of the girls, staring directly at the walking corpses.

"My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?"

The male corpse opened his mouth but the voice that came out was not his own. It was made up of hundreds of voices, each one filled with terror and pain. Thorne's heart ached as she listened. "Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us. Argh!"

The gas flooded from the two corpses and flew back into the gas lamps allowing the two bodies to collapse.

"First of all you drug us, then you kidnap us, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man!" Rose snarled as they stood in the living room.

Thorne was standing beside the Doctor, her fingers tapping out a beat that was very unfamiliar to the Time Lord. He wanted to ask her about that habit of hers but knew that it wasn't the right time to do such a thing. Rose was taring into the man who had kidnapped them with aggression that only the daughter of Jackie Tyler could have.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" Sneed hissed back.

"Then you stuck me and my LITTLE sister in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave us to die! So come on, talk!" roared Rose.

"It's not my fault," Sneed whimpered, falling back on the sofa. "It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs, the er, the dear departed started getting restless."

"Tommyrot," said Dickens.

"You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps," said Sneed.

Gwyneth gently placed the Doctor's cup on the mantlepiece beside him before handing a cup to Thorne. She smiled gently at the fifteen-year-old.

"Two sugars, sir, just how you like it," said Gwyneth when the Doctor looked at him, "the same to you ma'am."

Immediately, Thorne thought something was strange: neither the Doctor nor Thorne had told her that this was how they liked their tea.

"One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned."

"Morbid fancy," said Dickens once more.

"Oh, Charles, you were there," said the Doctor, raising his cup to the man.

"I saw nothing but an illusion."

"Never meet your heroes," mumbled Thorne, sipping on her tea.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up," the Doctor ordered before turning back to Sneed. "What about the gas?"

"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that," said Sneed, fear in his voice.

"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through," said the Doctor.

"What's the rift?" asked Rose.

"A weak point in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time," said Thorne. The Doctor stared at her in shock as she processed what she had just said. How did she know that? What just happened? It was almost like she remembered it like someone had said those very same words to her before... but she couldn't remember.

"That's how I got the house so cheap. Stories going back generations," said Sneed before the Doctor could say anything. Dickens slammed the door as he left the room but that didn't seem to bother anyone else. "Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air, and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine."

Thorne and the Doctor watched from the doorway as Dickens lifted the lid off of Redpath's coffin and began waving his hands in front of the dead man's face. It reminded her of the time Rose and Mickey had shown her a magic trick, she spent hours trying to figure out how they did it only to come up with nothing more than a red face and a burned-out mind.

"Checking for strings?" asked Thorne, gaining the older man's attention as she pulled the Doctor into the room.

"Wires, perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud."

"Oh, come on, Charles. All right. I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you've got one of the best minds in the world. You saw those gas creatures," said the Doctor, trying to make him see sense.

"I cannot accept that."

"And what does the human body do when it decomposes?" the Doctor asked, beginning to connect the dots. "It breaks down and produces gas. Perfect home for these gas things."

"They can slip inside and use it as a vehicle," said Thorne, "like a car!"

"Stop it," cried Dickens before sobering. "Can it be that I have the world entirely wrong?"

"Not wrong. There's just more to learn," said the Doctor.

"But then, there is always more," said Thorne grinning.

"I've always railed against the fantasists. Oh, I loved an illusion as much as the next man, revelled in them, but that's exactly what they were illusions. The real world is something else. I dedicated myself to that. Injustices, great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good. Now you tell me that the real world is a realm of spectres and jack-o'-lanterns. In which case, have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor? Has it all been for nothing?"

"Mr Dickens, I can personally tell you that you have done amazing things, whether you realise it now or not, there is no one who could do the same things you have," said Thorne. "You changed history when you wrote your first book and you kept changing it with every word on a printed page."

"Thank you, child," said Dickens softly, "that is reassuring."

"It's the truth. A truth, I swear by," said Thorne smiling gently.

"Come on Thorne, let's go see where Rose is," said the Doctor.

Thorne and the Doctor entered the kitchen just in time to hear Gwyneth begin speaking. Thorne felt a chill run down her spine like something was trying to look in her mind but was confronted by a wall of stone each time. It was the same feeling she had been having since she had left the Tardis that very morning.

"You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half-naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness, the angel, the big bad wolf," Gwyneth stumbled backwards, hitting the wood behind her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, miss."

"It's all right," Rose soothed.

"I can't help it," cried Gwyneth. "Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it."

The Doctor moved towards Gwyneth, gently grabbing her arms and focusing her attention on him: "But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?"

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head," said Gwyneth, fearfully.

"You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key," said Thorne in shock. Once again she had no idea why she had said anything, how she even knew this information but the words just tumbled from her lips before she could think.

"I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts."

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do," said the Doctor.

"What to do where, sir?"

"We're going to have a séance, aren't we?" asked Thorne.

"Yep!"

"I'm loving you a lot less."

Everyone was sitting around a large round table with Gwyneth sitting at the head. Thorne and Rose sat on either side of the Doctor with Thorne seated next to Charles Dickens. The man himself was agitated and seemed to want to flee as far away as possible.

"This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands," said Gwyneth. Everyone linked hands apart from Dickens who bolted upright and looked around.

"I can't take part in this."

"Humbug? Come on, open mind," cried the Doctor.

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Seances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeezebox concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing."

"Now, don't antagonise her. I love a happy medium," grinned the Doctor.

"I can't believe you just said that," snickered Rose.

"I can't believe he's making me do this," said Thorne.

"Come on, we might need you," said the Doctor, ignoring the girls. Dickens sighed and sat back down between Thorne and Gwyneth. "Goodman. Now, Gwyneth, reach out."

"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden," Gwyneth began, her eyes closed. Whispering began and Thorne felt a shift in the air.

"Can you hear that?" asked Rose.

"Yeah," said Thorne, "and me no likely."

"Nothing can happen. This is sheer folly," said Dickens.

"Look at her," Rose ordered.

Dickens turned to look at Gwyneth and his eyes widen as gas tendrils drifted above all their heads. "I see them. I feel them."

"What's it saying?" asked Rose.

"I don't know."

"They can't get through the rift," said the Doctor. "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through."

"I can't!" Gwyneth whimpered.

"Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Link," said Thorne soothingly. "Just imagine it opening, pull it if you have to! You're the key, so open the lock."

"Yes," Gwyneth gasped.

Everyone stared at the blue outline that appeared behind her. It seemed to be in the shape of a woman.

"Great God! Spirits from the other side," cried Sneed.

"The other side of the universe," said the Doctor.

"Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us," the figure spoke. While their outward appearance appeared to be a woman, their voice was that of a child with Gwyneth acting as another voice. Thorne's eyes glowed once more as the Gelth recoiled slightly before Thorne's eyes returned to normal.

"What do you want us to do?" asked the Doctor.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge," cried the Gelth.

"What for?"

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction."

"Why, what happened?"

"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came."

"War? What war?" cried Dickens, the Gelth turned her attention to him.

"The Time War. The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," said Thorne.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."

"But we can't," said Rose.

"Why not?" asked the Doctor.

"It's not. I mean, it's not—"

"—Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives."

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth," the Gelth let out a screeching cry as the flooded back into the gas lamps and Gwyneth collapsed across the table.

Immediately both girls bolted towards her and pulled her back in her chair as Thorne examined her. "Gwyneth?"

"She's fine."

"All true," gaped Dickens.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked Gwyneth.

"It's all true."

A few moments later found Gwyneth being laid on the chaise longue while Thorne hovered by her side and Rose glared at the Doctor.

"It's all right. You just sleep," said Thorne softly, "you're exhausted."

"But my angels, miss. They came, didn't they? They need me?" said Gwyneth.

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're they're the only chance of survival," said the Doctor.

"I've told you, leave her alone. She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles," Rose turned and handed Gwyneth a cup of tea. "Drink this."

"Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?" begged Sneed.

"Aliens."

"Like foreigners, you mean?" said Sneed, trying to understand.

"Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there," said the Doctor pointing.

"Brecon?"

"Close. And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes," said the Doctor trying to explain.

"Which is why they need the girl," said Dickens.

"They're not having her," hissed Rose.

The Doctor looked at Rose with an expression of pure confusion, but she refused to budge. "But she can help. Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through."

"Incredible. Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers," said Dickens.

"Good system. It might work."

"You can't let them run around inside of dead people," said Rose in outrage.

"Why not? It's like recycling."

"Seriously though, you can't."

"Seriously though, I can."

"It's just wrong. Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death!" said Rose.

"Do you carry a donor card?"

"That's different. That's—"

"It is different, yeah. It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying."

"Except there is something you don't understand Doctor," said Thorne standing up. "Yes, I agree that this system could work," Rose stared at her in shock. Thorne continued, "but not if we're living on the same planet."

"Why not?" asked the Doctor, not seeing any reason.

"Imagine your mother is dead, you've mourned her and gotten over it. Then, you see her walking around as if nothing had ever happened. While that wouldn't be so shocking if people had time to get used to it, imagine the people with mental health issues! Dementia, schizophrenia! Amnesia! This plan could work, but not if we're all living on the same planet. Don't even get me started on overpopulation."

The Doctor looked at her, only now realising what Rose and Thorne were arguing with him about. He looked like he was considering it but then he changed and returned to his original reasoning, "Alright so we’d take them to another planet, she could save an entire species!"

"I don't care. They're not using her," said Rose.

Gwyneth gently tapped Thorne on the leg before beginning to speak. "Don't I get a say, miss?"

"Look, you don't understand what's going on," said Rose.

"You would say that, miss, because that's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid," said Gwyneth, but there was no anger in her voice.

"That's not fair."

"It's true, though. Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my mind, and the angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?"

"You don't have to do anything," said the Doctor.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So tell me," begged Gwyneth.

"We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?" said the Doctor.

"That would be the morgue," said Sneed.

"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" moaned Rose.

"Nope. In horror films, it's always the basement."

The morgue was a freezing basement where the recently departed rested with white sheets over their bodies. Thorne felt the Doctor squeeze her hand as they walked down the steps and into the stone dungeon. Rose wrapped an arm around Thorne's shoulder and hugged her close before stepping further into the room.

"Urgh. Talk about Bleak House," said the Doctor, trying to lighten the mood.

"The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed, 'cos I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869," said Rose turning to the Time Lord.

"Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cosy little world can be rewritten like that. Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing," said the Doctor looking her directly in the eyes.

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder," said Dickens looking around.

"Here they come," said Thorne turning towards a stone archway. The Doctor looked at her with a raised eyebrow but did nothing and simply followed her eyes.

A Gelth came flying out of the gas lamp by the door and settled in the centre of the archway Thorne was looking at. The Doctor made a mental note to examine Thorne when they were done here.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him!" the Gelth chirped.

"Promise you won't hurt her," begged Rose but the Gelth ignored her.

"Hurry! Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth."

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" said the Doctor, obviously having listened to Rose and Thorne.

"My angels. I can help them live," said Gwyneth.

"Okay, where's the weak point?" asked the Doctor as Gwyneth walked forward.

"Here, beneath the arch," said the Gelth.

"Beneath the arch," Gwyneth repeated. Slowly, she stepped into the arch, inside the Gelth leader and smiled.

"You don't have to do this," said Rose softly.

"My angels," said Gwyneth grinning.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

"Yes, I can see you. I can see you. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing."

"Come to me. Come to this world, poor lost souls!"

"It is begun. The bridge is made."

Gwyneth's mouth opened and blue gas came flooding out, flying around the top of the room.

"She has given herself to the Gelth. The bridge is open. We descend." Suddenly everything changed. The sweet blue apparitions that had enticed Thorne's sympathy exploded into burning shapes with sharp teeth. Thorne gasped and felt her fingertips once again turn to stone. "The Gelth will come through in force."

"You said that you were few in number," cried Dickens.

"A few billion. And all of us in need of corpses," said the Gelth with an evil cackle. The dead began to rise.

"Gwyneth, stop this. Listen to your master. This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg of you—" cried, Sneed.

"Mister Sneed, get back!" Thorne and Rose cried together.

A corpse grabbed Sneed by the neck, snapping it as a Gelth zoomed into his open mouth.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong," said the Doctor.

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us," said Sneed in a demonic voice.

"No." Dickens gasped.

"We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead."

"Gwyneth, stop them! Send them back now!" cried Thorne.

"Three more bodies. Convert them. Make them vessels for the Gelth!"

Suddenly Thorne was grabbed from behind. She cried out as an arm raised around her neck but once again they were stopped. "No! Not her! I will not give those monsters a reason to destroy our new forms!"

"Thorne!" cried Rose as she and the Doctor were up against a metal gate.

"Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm so—"

Dickens ran from the room but no one noticed as the Doctor and Rose hid behind the metal gate. The corpses tried their best to force their arms though but were unable to reach them. Meanwhile, Thorne was being held in an iron grip by one of the corpses. She was pulled towards the leading Gelth as her eyes continued to glow a brilliant shade of silver now. Her anxiety was going into overdrive with no one around to comfort her, her breathing became laboured and black spots began to appear in her vision.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth."

"I trusted you. I pitied you!" roared the Doctor.

"We don't want your pity. We want this world and all its flesh."

"Not while I'm alive," the Doctor retorted.

"Then live no more."

"I'm so sorry Thorne!"

"Don't worry about me Doctor!" said Thorne, struggling against the corpse, "just keep my sister alive! Or I may kill you myself!"

Thorne continued struggling against the grip of the corpse, despite the overwhelming urge to just pass out but found her efforts in vain as it was impossible to escape. Hearing footsteps, Thorne's eyes darted towards the door and she was shocked as Dickens came barrelling in with a handkerchief over his nose and mouth.

"Doctor! Doctor! Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all of it!" cried Dickens.

"What're you doing?" asked the Doctor.

"Turn it all on. Flood the place!" cried Dickens.

"Brilliant. Gas."

"What, so we choke to death instead?" cried Rose.

"No way Rose," said Thorne, "think about it!"

"Am I correct, Doctor? These creatures are gaseous."

"Fill the room with gas, it'll draw them out of the host. Suck them into the air like poison from a wound!" grinned the Doctor.

The corpses also realised this and began shambling towards Dickens.

"I hope, oh Lord, I hope that this theory will be validated soon, if not immediately," said Dickens, his voice quivering.

"Plenty more!" cried the Doctor. He grabbed the gas pipe and ripped it off the wall, flooding the room with gas. The Gelth let out a collective scream as they were forced out of the bodies they had been inhabiting. Thorne could hear Rose coughing but Thorne was unaffected. She could breathe perfectly fine.

"It's working."

The Doctor and Rose ran out of the alcove as the corpse holding Thorne collapsed.

"Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels," said the Doctor running to the girl who hadn't moved throughout the entire ordeal.

"Liars?"

"Look at me. If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!"

"I can't breathe," gasped Rose.

"Charles, get her out," the Doctor ordered.

"I'm not leaving her," said Rose angrily.

"They're too strong."

"Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift," said Thorne softly. "If you need strength then let that image give it to you. Think of all the things that you are going to save, all the mothers and fathers and children! All the industry and beauty! Equality for men and women. Think about it all and use it as strength! Use your pain and emotions and force them back. I know you can do this because, and listen to me when I say this, Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned. And you have been scorned! So use it."

"I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here," said Gwyneth, gently pulling a matchbox from her apron pocket. "Get out."

"You can't!" cried Rose.

"Leave this place!" ordered Gwyneth.

"Girls, get out. Go now. I won't leave her while she's still in danger. Now go!"

Thorne watched as Rose and Dickens ran from the room but made no move to follow them. She wasn't afraid to suffocate, she was breathing perfectly fine as it was. The Doctor looked at her.

"I told you to go," said the Doctor.

"We both know that Gwyneth isn't getting out of here alive Doctor," said Thorne softly, "and we also know that you're going to blame yourself when she doesn't. I'm here as a witness to you doing everything in your power to save her. I'm not leaving you alone with her until we're certain she cannot be saved."

The Doctor gave her a tensive smile before turning back to Gwyneth and holding out his hand for the matchbox. He was hoping that what Thorne said was wrong, that Gwyneth could get out of there alive. His hope was dwindling by the second though.

"Come on, leave give that to me," begged the Doctor. She didn't move and the Doctor, reluctantly, felt the pulse on her neck. He nodded to Thorne who took his hand. "I'm sorry." Gently, he kissed her forehead as Thorne squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"Rest in peace Gwyneth," said Thorne, "I hope you find your parents on the other side."

"Thank you miss, I hope you find yours as well," said Gwyneth.

The Doctor and Thorne then bolted out of the room and up the stairs. They practically threw themselves out of the doorway as the entire house exploded, forcing them to fly across the street. Thorne was immediately wrapped in Rose's arms as the younger girl began to sob.

"She didn't make it," said Rose.

"I'm sorry. She closed the rift," said the Doctor, his eyes downcast.

"At such a cost. The poor child," said Dickens.

"I did try, Rose, but Gwyneth was already dead. She had been for at least five minutes," said the Doctor as he stood up.

"What do you mean?"

"I think she was dead from the minute she stood in that arch."

"But she can't have. She spoke to us. She helped us. She saved us. How could she have done that?" asked Rose.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Even for you, Doctor."

"She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know," said Rose.

"We will," said Thorne, standing up. "And that's all that matters."

"Right then, Charlie boy, I've just got to go into my, er, shed. Won't belong," said the Doctor as they arrived outside the Tardis. Thorne stood beside the strange Time Lord with a sorrowful smile on her face.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Rose turning to the famous writer.

"I shall take the mail coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all, I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital."

"You've cheered up," said Thorne.

"Exceedingly! This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions, Doctor. I'm inspired. I must write about them."

"Do you think that's wise?" asked Rose, glancing at the Doctor.

"I shall be subtle at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth."

"Good luck with it. Nice to meet you. Fantastic."

"Bye, then, and thanks," said Rose, kissing Dicken's on the cheek as Thorne did the same.

"Oh, my dear. How modern. Thank you, but, I don't understand. In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?" asked Dickens in confusion.

"You'll see. In the shed."

"Upon my soul, Doctor, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?"

"Just a friend passing through."

"But you have such knowledge of future times. I don't wish to impose on you, but I must ask you. My books. Doctor, do they last?"

"Oh, yes!"

"For how long?"

"Forever. Right. Shed. Come on, girls," said the Doctor, unlocking the Tardis.

"In the box? All three of you?"

"Down boy. See you," said Thorne, "and good luck! I hope you do get to write that book of yours."

Inside the Tardis, Thorne joined her sister and friend at the console before popping down in one of the seats.

"Doesn't that changed history if he writes about blue ghosts?" asked Rose.

"In a week it's 1870, and that's the year he dies. Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story," said the Doctor.

"Oh, no. He was so nice."

"But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie boy. Let's give him one last surprise."

The Doctor flicked a lever and soon they were flying once more. "God Bless Us, Everyone," said Thorne quietly.

Thorne sat in her bedroom alone. Her mind was a whirling vortex of pain and grief as she remembered the two that had died to save them. Jabe and Gwyneth were innocents. Thorne didn't want to forget them, or their sacrifice, but she didn't know if she truly could keep remembering them. She didn't want to forget them.

Suddenly her wall moved.

Bolting upright, Thorne smiled as she watched two photographs appear on the new wall. Jabe and Gwyneth, in all their glory. Above them was a banner, edged in red, gold and white, and written on it was something that made Thorne burst into tears, 'Here Lies The Forgotten Hero's. May They Be Remembered.'

"Thank you," said Thorne to the Tardis. "So much."

Moving closer, Thorne gently caressed the paintings and was shocked to find that written under their names was how they died.

'Jabe of the Forest, died by fire protecting her friends.'

'Gwyneth of Earth, died by fire saving the Earth from her demons.'

"God Bless Us, Everyone."

* * *

**Next:** {The Doctor takes them home, but when a spaceship crash-lands in the Thames, London is closed off and the whole world goes on red alert. While the Doctor investigates the alien survivor, Rose discovers that her home is no longer a safe haven and Thorne discovers there’s a price on her head.}


	5. Chapter Four: Aliens of London

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter Four:** _Aliens of London_

Going home had been Rose’s idea – one Thorne had needed at the time. Rose hadn’t liked seeing the sorrowful expression that seemed to be engraved into Thorne’s face after the death of Jabe and Gwyneth – which she had witnessed. The idea was that a trip home would be enough to cheer Thorne up if only enough to get her smiling again. And if this idea didn’t work, Rose was going to pick up Thorne’s babies – her robotics projects – and bring them into the Tardis.

The Doctor was just as concerned about Thorne as her sister was, though he had _no_ clue in how to help her. All he could do was instruct the Tardis to keep her as happy as possible, which the Tardis had done gladly, but nothing had happened. He knew he was throwing both girls in at the deep end and Rose seemed to have taken to this life like a duck to water … and yet Thorne had not. She was younger and he had miscalculated, perhaps she couldn’t handle it. The Doctor now had to prepare for the possibility that Thorne might not return to the Tardis after this trip home. Honestly, he was heartbroken at the mere thought of it but he knew better than to deny the request – he wouldn’t keep her here and Rose said it might help Thorne to go home, so he’d do as Rose instructed, if only to get Thorne to smile once more.

Thorne was led out of the Tardis by her sister. She winced at the change in lighting but smiled upon seeing where they had landed. Of course, she was somewhat disappointed to be back home so soon but she really needed to see her mother. To make sure her mum was alright.

“How long have we been gone?” asked Rose, looking around.

“Nothing’s changed so it couldn’t have been that long,” said Thorne, shrugging Rose’s arm off of her shoulder.

“About twelve hours,” said the Doctor.

“Oh. Right,” nodded Rose happily. Twelve hours could be explained rather simply, any longer though and neither Tyler would have gotten off lightly. “We won't be long. We just want to see mum.”

“And I want to grab a few of my projects, the Tardis has been helping me plan some improvements,” said Thorne grinning for the first time in a while.

“What're you going to tell her, your mum?” asked the Doctor, raising an eyebrow.

“I don't know. We’ve been to the year 5 billion and only been gone, what, twelve hours? No, I'll just tell her we spent the night at Shareen's,” said Rose, pulling her sister along towards the estate. “See you later.”

Stopping, Rose turned, getting the Doctor’s attention once more as she called out: “Oh, don't you disappear.”

Grinning at each other, Rose and Thorne practically skipped up the stairs towards their flat. Thorne couldn’t wait to see her mother again, to give her a hug and a kiss and actually talk to her. She also couldn’t wait to see her babies again and she was practically buzzing with new ideas on how to improve them and make them work.

Rose was more focused on the lie she was going to concoct to get them out of any trouble. Jackie never liked Thorne hanging around any of Rose’s friends – thinking they were a bad influence on the fifteen-year-old – so there was going to be some minor friction. Better than the alternative.

Arriving on their floor, they were quick to get to their door, Rose unlocking the door, and enter. The flat was almost deafly quiet, which was incredibly strange as not even the hum of the TV was hard.

“We’re back!” called Rose, throwing her keys in the bowl and heading further inside, unaware of the foreboding that Thorne was feeling. “We were with Shareen. She was all upset again, I know you don’t like her hanging around Thorne but I couldn’t let her ride the bus back alone,” she didn’t hear anything. “Are you in?” turning the corner, Rose came face to face with her mother. Jackie was staring at Rose as if she’d grown a second head and she seemed to internally faint as Thorne walked over. “So, what's been going on? How've you been?” Rose saw the look on Jackie’s face and became quickly confused. “What? What's that face for? It's not the first time we've stayed out all night.”

SMASH!

Jackie dropped her mug of tea, the hot liquid splattering all over the floor. Thorne looked behind Jackie’s shoulder and gasped at the load of posters that were stacked up behind her. She looked at the posters and felt her blood run cold.

The posters said:

_Rose and Thorne Tyler have been missing from her home on the Powell Estate since 6 th March 2005._

“It's you,” said Jackie, her tone so full of hope it almost broke Thorne.

“Of course it's us,” said Rose, not knowing what was wrong.

“Rose…” whispered Thorne, trying to get her attention.

“Oh, my God. It's you. Oh my God!”

Jackie was quick to grab the girls, pulling them into a tight hug as she sobbed into Rose’s shoulder. Thorne pointed towards the stacks of paper and Rose went pale as she read them. Sorrow and fear were the only things the residents of the Tyler flat felt as Jackie continued to sob into Rose’s shoulder.

Suddenly, the door banged open and the Doctor came charging in, crying out: “It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months.” He gasped. “You've been gone a whole year. Sorry.”

Jackie’s astonishment at the reappearance of her two daughters soon gave way to fury at their disappearances. She immediately called the police to let them know Rose and Thorne were home but also to make sure they came round to interrogate her children. Of course, Jackie didn’t blame Thorne for the disappearing act – though it had been Thorne’s idea – since she was the younger of the two and therefore not responsible – despite her intelligence and skills.

“The hours I've sat here, days and weeks and months, all on my own,” snarled Jackie as she paced back and forth in front of the sofa where the girls were seated. All of her anger was focused on Rose and the Doctor and Thorne didn’t dare say anything lest her mother turn on her. “I thought you were dead, and where were you?” she paused, taking an angry breath. “Travelling. What the hell does that mean, travelling? That's no sort of answer!” she turned to the police officer who was sitting directly in front of the girls. “You ask them. Rose won't tell me. That's all she says. Travelling.”

“That's what we were doing,” said Rose.

“When your passport's still in the drawer? It's just one lie after another,” snapped Jackie.

Thorne was practically curled into a ball on the sofa, her head in her knees as she listened to her mother’s temper. How could this have happened? He said five hours! Maybe travelling had been a bad idea… no! no it hadn’t been… they had just needed to remember to phone their mother once in a while.

“I meant to phone. I really did. we just we-I forgot,” said Rose, remembering Thorne’s lack of phone.

“What, for a year? You forgot for a year? And I am left sitting here. I just don't believe you,” cried Jackie, on the edge of tears. “Why won't you tell me where you've been?”  
  


“Mummy… I-we—” Thorne attempted to speak but one look from Rose was enough to silence her. Rose’s job was to protect her little sister, even if it meant taking all of the blame for something that should have been Thorne’s fault. The perks of a four-year age gap.

The Doctor, seeing the effect Jackie’s wrath was having on the girls, decided to step in, attempt to explain… it didn’t go well.

“Actually, it's my fault. I sort of er, employed Rose as my companion and Thorne decided to travel with us,” said the Doctor, hoping it would help.

“When you say companion, is this a sexual relationship?” asked the officer, pulling out his notepad.

The look of disgust that flew across the trio’s faces was enough of an indication that this was not so but they still verbalised it, just to make sure.

“No!”

“Then what is it?” growled Jackie, anger forgotten in place of protective instincts. “Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, they vanish off the face of the Earth! How old are you then?” Jackie stepped further and further towards the Doctor, practically backing him into a corner. “Forty? Forty five? What, did you find her on the Internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor?”  
  


“I am a Doctor!” he cried in offence.

“Prove it. Stitch this, mate!”

Jackie slapped the Doctor with the force of every angry mother protecting their children. The sound of flesh-on-flesh echoed around the flat, making Thorne and Rose both flinch before bursting out in laughter at the look on the Doctor’s face. It was honestly the most hilarious cross between frightened, offended and annoyed that any of them had ever seen.

The police collected their statements and then left, sure that nothing had happened to either girl. The Doctor was quickly kicked out of the flat, leaving the girls with their exasperated mother. Thorne was left in the living-room while Rose was dragged into the kitchen. Thorne was suddenly glad she was the youngest in the flat as she grabbed some of her projects and began tinkering away, her thoughts on the Doctor and what they were going to do now.

**~{Roses}~**

Jackie had been reluctant to let either girl out of her sight after she had finally calmed down. It had taken all of Thorne’s persuasive ability to get out – mostly waiting until their mother was on the phone telling everyone they were okay and then leaving. They immediately went hunting for the Doctor, finding him on the roof of the Powell Estate, watching the sky as he nursed his red cheek.

Settling into their usual places, Rose taking the vantage point slightly above the Doctor and Thorne sitting with her back against it, they began to speak. Rose finally decided to tell Thorne what Jackie had asked while they had been sequester in the kitchen.

“She asked me where we went…I can't tell her. I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me... course she blames me for Thorne disappearing as well… I mean I’m supposed to look after you so I guess I am really to blame… And we missed a year…” turning to the Doctor she raised an eyebrow. “Was it good?”

“Middling,” the Doctor answered curtly.

“You're so useless, not even some specifics?” said Thorne, one of her little robots nestled perfectly between her crossed legs.

“Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?” asked the Doctor.

Thorne could tell he was trying to keep the worry out of his voice when he asked that question. He didn’t want to be alone – or that’s what she thought – but was too proud to admit it. It almost made her feel sorry for him, made her wonder what could have made him so fearful of being alone… not that she had any room to talk: one of her greatest fears was being left alone, being abandoned, it was one of the reasons she threw her entire being into any friendship she had… and why she took it so hard when they failed.

“I don't know,” sighed Rose. “We can't do that to her again, though.”

“Agreed.”

“Well, she's not coming with us,” said the Doctor, trying to lighten the mood but also making it clear.

“No chance,” the Tyler sister’s said in unison.

“I don't do families,” he continued.

“She slapped you!” cried Rose, bursting into a fit of laughter.

“Oh, that was GOLD!” agreed Thorne, her own tears making it hard to see.

“Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother,” said the Doctor.

He was trying to hide the small smile that appeared on his face upon seeing the pair so happy. Turns out the trip home had worked on their primary goal: make Thorne happy.

“Your face!”

“It hurt!”

“You're so gay!” laughed Rose before suddenly becoming intrigued. “When you say nine hundred years?”

“That's my age,” said the Doctor, like it was nothing.

“You're nine hundred years old,” gaped Thorne. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you remember your age? I nearly forget I’m fifteen every other week… how?”

“Alien brains,” said the Doctor, patting Thorne on the head with a cheesy grin.

“Mum was right... That is one hell of an age gap,” said Rose after a moment. “Every conversation with you just goes mental… There's no one else I can talk to… I've seen all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word… course Thorne probably has people to talk to… Aliens and spaceships and things, and we’re the only people on planet Earth who knows they exist…”

HONK! HONK!

Timing thy name is alien spaceship! A massive ship, black smoke billowing out of the back, flew overhead, blaring its horn like a driver with road rage. It missed them by miles but continued to fall… almost perfectly… towards Big Ben and the rest of the city. It missed Tower Bridge, weaved around St Paul’s but wasn’t lucky enough to pass Big Ben.

HONK! CRASH!

The wing of the ship slashed the clock face from the tower, the black smoke becoming more and more prominent from the back as the fires got bigger. Then, in almost a perfect nosedive, it crashed into the Thames.

“Oh, that's just not fair!”

**~{Are}~**

Naturally, the army had already closed off all of the roads by the time the trio had made it out of the Powell Estate, much to the annoyance of the car drivers. Soldiers were blocking the roads, holding guards in their arms just to dissuade any who wanted to try and get past. Black, unmarked trunks were lined up on the road, making sure that no one could move.

The three of them had managed to swerve through the cars and crowds until they were as close as they could be to the crash site. Thorne’s anxiety was triggering at an entirely new level as everyone began crowding further around them. The Doctor, seeing her beginning to tap out a beat on her arm, instantly moved her so that she was standing between him and Rose.

“It's blocked off,” cried the Doctor in disappointment.

“We're miles from the centre, the city must be grid locked,” said Rose, looking around. “The whole of London must be closing down.”

“I know. I can't believe I'm here to see this. This is fantastic!” cheered the Doctor.

“Why couldn’t this have happened earlier? I wouldn’t have been so bored if this had happened a year ago!” said Thorne.

Her own body was vibrating with excitement and she and the Doctor were practically geeking out over it but Rose was more focused than either of them.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” Rose asked the Doctor.

“Nope.”

“Do you recognise the ship?”

“Nope.”  
  


“Do you know why it crashed?”

“Nope.”  
  


“Oh, I'm so glad I've got you. Thorne any idea?”

“Give me half-an-hour to go over the crash in my mind and I might,” said Thorne absentmindedly as she stood on top of the car behind her in hopes of seeing something.

“This is what I travel for, Rose! To see history happening right in front of us!” chirped the Doctor.

“Well, let's go and see it,” said Rose. “Never mind the traffic, we've got the Tardis.”

“Better not,” said the Doctor, shaking his head. “They've already got one spaceship in the middle of London. I don't want to shove another one on top.”

“Yeah, but yours looks like a big blue box. No one's going to notice,” said Rose, not understanding.

“You'd be surprised. Emergency like this, there'll be all kinds of people watching. Trust me. The Tardis stays where it is.”

“So, history's happening and we're stuck here,” deadpanned Rose.

“Yes, we are.”

“We could always do what everybody else does,” said Thorne, jumping off of the car, with the help of the Doctor. “We could watch it on TV.”

**~{Red}~**

They were sitting in the living-room, which was filled with people. Jackie really had put the call out as a load of people were settled around the living-room drinking and talking. Both the Doctor and Thorne were sitting in front of the TV, Thorne holding one of her projects, listening intently for any information about the ship.

“Big Ben destroyed as a UFO crash lands in Central London. Police reinforcements are drafted in from across the country to control widespread panic, looting and civil disturbance. A state of national emergency has been declared. Tom Hitchinson is at the scene.”

“The police are urging the public not to panic. There's a help line number on screen right now if you're worried about friends or family.”

The channel switched.

“The military are on the lookout for more spaceships. Until then, all flights in North American air space have been grounded.”  
  


The channel switched back.

“The army are sending divers into the wreck of the spaceship. No one knows what they're going to find.”

“The President will address the nation live from the White House, but the Secretary General has asked that people watch the skies.”

Hearing a commotion behind her, Thorne groaned but kept her eyes on the TV, hoping that they’d calm down.

“Oi, we’re trying to listen,” said the Doctor, looking over his shoulder for a second.

The news feed switched to Downing Street where hundreds of reporters were crowded outside.

“His current whereabouts. News is just coming in. We can go to Tom at the Embankment.”

The picture changed to outside of the embankment. “They've found a body. It's unconfirmed, but I'm being told a body has been found in the wreckage. A body of non-terrestrial origins. It's being brought ashore. A body of some sort has been found inside the wreckage of the spacecraft. Brought to the nearest shore. Unconfirmed reports say that the body is of extra-terrestrial origin. An extraordinary event unfolding here live here in Central London. The body is being transferred to a secure unit mortuary, the whereabouts is yet unknown. The roads in Central London are being –”

Suddenly there was a change in channel and Blue Peter appeared on screen. Instantly, Thorne looked for the remote before watching the Doctor wrestle a toddler for it.

“And when you've stuck your fins on, you can cover the whole lot in buttercream. Oh, look at that. Then ice it any colour you want. Here's one I made a little bit earlier. And look at that, your very own spaceship ready to eat. And for something a little extra special –”

The Doctor succeed in getting the remote and switched the channel back. Thorne grinned at him slightly but then her attention was focused on the TV.

“ **Albion Hospital.** We still don't know whether it's alive or dead. Whitehall is denying everything. But the body has been brought here, Albion Hospital. The road's closed off. It's the closest to the river. I'm being told that General Asquith is now entering the hospital. The building's been evacuated. The patients have been moved out onto the streets. The police still won't confirm the presence of an alien body contained inside those walls.”

“So, we know where the body is,” said Thorne quietly to the Doctor. “We could go and see it.”

“I want to keep the Tardis out of the limelight, remember?” said the Doctor, though she could see she was persuading him.

“We could just land in… a storage cupboard and go sneaking around… use the physic paper to get in and we’d be out before anyone knew it…”

The Doctor grinned at her and nodded, gently taking her hand and standing up. The two walked outside rather quickly, managing to avoid many questions due to Thorne’s ability to pale on command, only to be stopped by Rose running after them.

“And where do you think you're going?” asked Rose, crossing her arms.

“Nowhere!” said Thorne.

“Nowhere,” said the Doctor. “It's just a bit human in there for me. History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top-up cards for half price… we’re off on a wander, that's all.”

“Yeah, you know I’m not good in confined spaces… especially with a load of people in my safe zone… mum banned me from tinkering with children in the flat,” said Thorne grumpily.

“Right. There's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just wandering,” said Rose, knowing her sister _far_ to well.

Thorne shrugged, praying that the Doctor would get involved before Rose began interrogating her.

“Nothing to do with me, it's not an invasion. That was a genuine crash landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything. It's perfect,” said the Doctor.

“So?”

“So maybe this is it. First contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. I'm not interfering because you've got to handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand,” said the Doctor with a chipper tone. “You don't need me. Go and celebrate history. Spend some time with your mum. I’ll look after Thorne for a while.”

“Promise you two won't disappear?”

“Tell you what,” said the Doctor, digging into his pocket. He pulled out two keys and handed one to Rose and one to Thorne. “Tardis key. It's about time you had one. See you later.”

The Doctor took Thorne’s hand and the two walked off, practically skipping away until they were out of Rose’s sight and then they began sprinting towards the Tardis. The two were grinning at each other like maniacs as they rushed into the Tardis, closing the doors behind them.

“Oh, Rose is gonna be angry that we left her behind for this,” said Thorne.

Thorne was standing next to the Doctor at the console with a huge, childish grin. The Doctor was too concerned with getting to Albion Hospital that he almost fell over when Thorne grabbed his arm to pull him towards the door.

“Right, let’s go have a look, shall we?” said the Doctor.

“We shall.”

The Doctor grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the door. They had landed in a storeroom and, sadly, the door out was locked. Thorne was, for a moment, upset until the Doctor pulled out of his sonic screwdriver, releasing her hand, and pointed it at the door.

It made a loud sound which both the Doctor and Thorne flinched at.

“Shush!” said the Doctor, putting his finger to his lips as he looked at the screwdriver.

The door was unlocked within seconds and it was pulled open in less than that. The Doctor went first and instantly stopped, realising his mistake, making sure Thorne remained out of sight. The meeting room was full of Red Berets, the Parachute Regiment, and they were quick to grab their weapons, pointing them at the Doctor.

Suddenly there was a huge scream!

“Defence plan delta! Come on. Move! Move!” yelled the Doctor running out of the room with all of the Red Berets following him and Thorne, whose hand he had grabbed.

They sprinted down the empty, unpainted, hallways towards the morgue where the scream had originated from. Bursting through the doors, Thorne and the Doctor instantly moved towards the lady who was cowering behind her desk with a cut on her head. Thorne quickly took out the handkerchief she kept in her pocket and gently pressed it towards the bleeding wound. 

“It's alive!” whimpered Sato as Thorne held her.

Turning to the Red Berets, the Doctor was quick to yell: “Spread out. Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown.”

“My god. It's still alive,” Sato continued.

“Do it!” yelled the Doctor seeing that no one was moving.

The soldiers quickly ran off, doing as the Doctor instructed, leaving the unidentified duo with the obviously shaken Doctor/Scientist. Once the Doctor was sure they were gone, he turned back to the two women. Sato was shaking like a leaf in the spring winds as she clung to Thorne’s arms but that didn’t deter the Doctor.

“I swear it was dead,” whimpered Sato.

“Coma, shock, hibernation, anything,” explained the Doctor quickly. “What does it look like?”

“Doctor!” hissed Thorne quietly.

Hearing the clatter of metal falling to the ground, Thorne tensed. The familiar chill of anxiety bloomed in her chest as Sato tried to move further back and the Doctor slowly crept forward.

“It's still here.”

“Doctor…”

“Shh, it’s okay,” whispered the Doctor.

The Doctor gestured to the soldier outside the door and slowly moved towards the filing cabinet where the creature was hiding. Turning the corner, the Doctor came face to face with what looked like a pig in a space suit.

“Hello,” said the Doctor softy, a soft smile on his face.

The pig made a noise of panic and sprinted out from the cabinet. Thorne watched it leave with confusion and instantly moved to follow it, the Doctor not far behind.

“Don't shoot!” roared the Doctor.

“Don’t fire!” cried Thorne.

They were too late though as another solider unloaded his ammo into the poor pig.

“What did you do that for? It was scared!” yelled the Doctor, glaring at the solider who had fired. “It was scared.”

Dropping to her knees beside the pig, Thorne gently ran her hand over its snout, watching with tearful eyes as its eyes closed and it stopped breathing.

“You poor, poor thing,” mumbled Thorne, kissing its forehead gently.

The Doctor ordered the body to be moved back into the morgue and soon the Doctor, a newly recovered Sato and Thorne were standing around the body. Sato had been quick to show the Doctor all of the scans she had done the first time.

“I just assumed that's what aliens look like, but you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth,” said Sato.

“More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid. Now someone's taken a pig, opened up it's brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb… It must've been terrified,” said the Doctor, his own anger barely hidden in his eyes. “They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke.”

The Doctor took Thorne’s hand and walked back to the Tardis. Neither of them spoke, both too concerned with discovering the reason for such a horrible act. They entered the Tardis in silence and the Doctor moved to the console, doing his best to remain calm.

“Who would do something like that?” asked Thorne.

“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out. Right after we pick up Rose,” said the Doctor, flipping a lever down.

They landed and within seconds Rose had entered the Tardis and was walking towards them, Mickey following behind her. “Mouse!” cried Thorne happily hugging him, though it was a hug he didn’t return. The Doctor remained oblivious to everything as he was too busy focusing on the console.

“All right, so I lied. We went and had a look,” said the Doctor when he spotted Rose out of the corner of his eye. “But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben. Come on, so I thought let's go and have a look –”

“My mum's here,” said Rose.

Instantly, Thorne released Mickey and turned to where her mother was standing, at the entrance to the Tardis, looking around as if she was in a wonderland. Anxiety spread quickly though Thorne’s system and she was frozen in place, unsure whether to go and comfort her mother or to hide behind Rose and Mickey. The Doctor looked up as well, but his eyes only glanced at Jackie before turning to Rose.

“Oh, that's just what I need,” he said with an exasperated tone. “Don't you dare make this place domestic.”

This set Mickey off: “You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought the girls were dead. I was a murder suspect because of you!”

“You see what I mean? Domestic.”

“I bet you don't even remember my name.”  
  


“Ricky.”  
  


“It's Mickey.”

“No, it's Ricky.”

“I think I know my own name,” growled Mickey.

“You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?” the Doctor growled back.

Then, Jackie sprinted out of the Tardis doors, Rose hot on her heels yelling: “Mum, don't!” she turned to the Doctor and Mickey. “Don't go anywhere. Don't start a fight!”

Thorne was still rooted to her spot in the Tardis, staring at the doors where her mother and sister had just gone through. A myriad of thoughts were running though her mind as she thought back to the look that had been edged into Jackie’s face. It was the same expression Jackie had whenever Thorne asked about her biological parents… a look of fear, awe and anger. Thorne couldn’t think of any time when that look led to something good happening and now Thorne was scared. She didn’t want to lose her mother!

Rose returned to the Tardis a minute later, without Jackie, and immediately went to the console. Seeing this, Thorne released a harsh breath and stood on the other side of the Doctor, staring at the screen as well, hoping that it would take her mind off of her mother.

“That was a real spaceship,” said Rose, looking at a picture of the craft.

“Yep,” nodded the Doctor.

“So it's all a pack of lies? What is it, then? Are they invading?” asked Rose.

“Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert,” said Mickey.

“Good point! So, what're they up to?”

“Maybe they are here to invade,” said Thorne absentmindedly, “but they don’t want to just invade quietly, they want someone to put up a fight? Maybe they think it would be dishonourable if the Earth didn’t have a chance to fight?”

“Maybe, I’ve met some races like that…” said the Doctor thoughtfully.

**~{Violets}~**

“So, what're you doing down there?” asked Mickey.

The Doctor’s head was sticking out from under the console as he worked on the Tardis’ wiring. Thorne was standing next to him, handing him different tools as he explained what each tool was and how it helped the Tardis. He was mostly doing this in hopes of keeping her mind off of Jackie’s reaction to the Tardis and to keep her anxiety at bay.

“Ricky –”

“Mickey.”

“Ricky. If I was to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?” asked the Doctor, not moving.

“I suppose not…”

“Well, shut it, then,” snapped the Doctor.

He was quick to return to what he was doing, making sure to keep a running commentary. Thorne giggled every now and then as he got an electric shock from the cables.

“Got it! Ha, ha!” cried the Doctor, wheeling himself out from the console and sprinting up the stairs. “Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of that spaceship.” He began pushing buttons on the console until a picture appeared on the screen. “Here we go. Hold on. Come on.”

The ship appeared on screen as well as the trajectory it took.

“That's the spaceship on its way to Earth, see?” said the Doctor.

“Wait, look!” said Thorne, “The spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed, that’s not natural.”

“Hey, you’re right, that means it came from Earth from the first place,” said the Doctor. “It went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived, they've been here for a while… The question is, what have they been doing?”

“How many channels do you get?” asked Mickey as he and Rose skipped through the channels, looking for news.

“All the basic packages,” said the Doctor, with his arms crossed.

“You get sports channels?”  
  


“MOUSE!”

“Yes, I get the football,” said the Doctor. “Hold on, I know that lot.”

**“It is looking likely that the Government's bringing in alien specialists - those people who have devoted their lives to studying outer space.”**

“UNIT. United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. Good people,” said the Doctor.

“I know him!” said Thorne, pointing at one of the men. “His names Jacob… we used to go to high school together…”

“Really?” asked the Doctor, then suddenly he remembered. “Oh yeah, you graduated really early… sorry.”

“No probs, even I forget sometimes,” grinned Thorne, turning back to the screen.

“How do you know them Doctor?” asked Rose.

Mickey looked like the cat who ate the canary as he opened his mouth to speak: “'Cos he's worked for them. Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead.”

“That's nice. Good boy, Ricky.”  
  


“If you know them, why don't you go and help?” asked Rose.

“They wouldn't recognise me. I've changed a lot since the old days,” said the Doctor. “Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover… And er, I'd better keep the Tardis out of sight.” He turned to Mickey. “Ricky, you've got a car. You can do some driving.”

“Where to?”  
  


“The roads are clearing,” said the Doctor with a grin. “Let's go and have a look at that spaceship.”

The four of them walked out of the Tardis, straight into the spotlight of a helicopter. Thorne squeaked in fear and was suddenly shoved behind Rose and the Doctor when they noticed the amount of guns being pointed at them. The Doctor’s demeanour was completely calm, chipper even, but Thorne could see the growing worry in his tensed muscles.

“Do not move! Step away from the box and raise your hands above your heads!” roared the police.

No one dared, Thorne didn’t even breath. Jackie came bursting through the block of flats, rushing towards her daughters with the fear of a mother who thought her children might be killed. Mickey, sending an apologetic look to Thorne, sprinted off as fast as he could with soldiers rushing after him.

“Raise your hands above your head. You are under arrest!”

Instantly the three of them did as instructed.

“Take me to your leader!” grinned the Doctor.

**~{Are}~**

Thorne was led to a swanky, posh black car by one of the soldiers. She practically jumped in the moment she spotted the Doctor already inside. He sent her a calming smile as she began tapping out a beat and grabbed her hand, squeezing it as best he could as Rose opened the door on the other side of him.

“This is a bit posh,” said Rose, climbing inside. “If I knew it was going to be like this, being arrested, I would have done it years ago.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” said Thorne, her voice wavering only slightly. “You’d be too afraid of mum’s reaction.”

“That’s true,” nodded Rose. “I hope mum’s alright…”

“Yeah, she’d probably having a heart attack over us all being arrested,” said Thorne.

“We're not being arrested, we're being escorted,” said the Doctor, enthusiasm clear in his tone.

The car began moving and Thorne was rather discouraged to see that they were being escorted by a fully armed battalion of police and soldiers.

“Where to?” asked Rose.

“Where'd you think? Downing Street!”

“What?” asked Thorne.

“You're kidding!” cried Rose.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” said Thorne.

“I'm not,” said the Doctor bursting out into laughter.

“10 Downing Street?” the Tyler sisters shrieked before deriving into laughter as well.

“That's the one!”

“Oh, my God. We’re going to 10 Downing Street?” said Rose, grabbing Thorne’s hands over the Doctor with a massive grin. Suddenly, her smile faded. “How come?”

“I hate to say it, but Mickey was right,” said the Doctor, grimacing at his own words, which Thorne slapped his arm for. “Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, er, noticed…”

“Now they need you?” asked Rose.

“Well it makes sense, they’re gathering experts in alien knowledge,” said Thorne thoughtfully.

“Exactly and who's the biggest expert of the lot?” asked the Doctor.

“Patrick Moore?” said Rose.

“Apart from him!”

“Oh, don't you just love it!” smirked Rose.

“I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table… Who's the Prime Minister now?”

“How should I know? We missed a year,” said Rose.

“I don’t think the Prime Minister is going to care that you don’t know him Doctor,” said Thorne. “I think he’d be more concerned with the aliens faking an alien landing in order to possibly invade.”

“Good point…”

The car came to a stop and Thorne was almost blinded by the camera flashes of the media which were doing their best to get a look at the trio. Opening the door, Thorne groaned as people constantly took her picture. The Doctor was loving the attention thought, waving at the media with enthusiasm, though he did make sure to push Thorne inside the moment he saw her begin to pale.

They were led into a massive room where hundreds of people were waiting, each one pinning new ID cards to their uniforms.

“Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times!” said a man. He handed an ID card to the Doctor and Thorne which confused all of them. “Here's your ID cards. I'm sorry, your older companion doesn't have clearance. The only reason your younger companion does is because of her classification as a genius and connections to UNIT.”

“I don't go anywhere without her,” said the Doctor.

“You're the code nine, not her. I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? She'll have to stay outside,” the man continued apologetically.

“She's staying with me,” said the Doctor, firmly.

“Look, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let her in and that's a fact.”

“It's all right,” said Rose, seeing an argument about to occur and the anxiety written on Thorne’s face. “You two go.”  
  


Suddenly, an older woman burst through the crowd, her focus entirely on the Doctor. Thorne was quick to spot the haunted look in her eyes as she attempted to get the Doctor’s attention.

“Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?” asked the woman.

“Sure,” the Doctor nodded.

“Not now. We're busy. Can't you go home?” hissed the man, obviously done with her.

“I just need a word in private,” she tried again.

“I suppose so,” said the Doctor before turning to Rose. “Don't get in any trouble.”

With that, the Doctor and Thorne were ushered into the briefing room. Two men stood at the front of the room with a load of pews facing them. Both men were slightly bigger in girth than normal and seemed to be looking at everyone with a calculating gaze. When their eyes passed over Thorne, she noticed their nostrils flair and eyes widen in shock but they then became blank again as one began speaking.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please. As you can see from the summaries in front of you, the ship had one porcine occupant –”

The Doctor stood up, having already read the entire briefing in a few seconds.

“Of course, the really interesting bit happened three days ago, see, filed away under Any Other Business. The North Sea. A satellite detected a signal, a little blip of radiation, at one hundred fathoms, like there's something down there. You were just about to investigate and the next thing you know, this happens. Spaceships, pigs, massive diversion. From what? If aliens fake an alien crash and an alien pilot, what do they get? … Us. They get us. It's not a diversion, it's a trap. This is all about us. Alien experts. The only people with knowledge on how to fight them gathered together in one room.”  
  


One of the men released a loud fart, breaking the Doctor’s concentration and rambling.

“Excuse me, do you mind not farting while I'm saving the world?”

“Would you rather silent but deadly?” he grinned.

Suddenly the general removed his cap, revealing a zip all along his forehead. The Doctor immediately grabbed Thorne, pulling her behind him as blue light filled the room. A huge green alien with a long neck, three claws, a baby face and black eyes now stood with the general’s skin now around its waist. Thorne wanted to scream but no sound came out.

**“We are the Slitheen!”**

“Thank you all for wearing your ID cards. They'll help to identify the bodies.”

Holding up a remote activation switch, the Slitheen in human skin grinned. Immediately, Thorne threw off her ID card just in time as electricity coursed through them but the Doctor was less than lucky. However, before Thorne could help him, the now fully revealed Slitheen grabbed her with its claws, pulling her towards it and the human one.

“Can’t have none of that, girly!” the human one hissed. “We wouldn’t want you to damage the merchandise!”


	6. Chapter Five: World War Three

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter Five:** _World War Three_

“DOCTOR!” cried Thorne as the Slitheen held her in its iron grip.

The fear in Thorne’s voice triggered something in the Doctor, his eyes went hard and a new vigour was installed within him. With stubbornness only the Doctor could possess, he grabbed the ID card, ignoring the static shock it was giving him in waves, ripping it off of his clothing and standing.

“Deadly to humans, maybe,” snarled the Doctor, rage burnt like fire in his dark eyes, threatening to consume the Slitheen and all they stood for.

And, without a moment’s hesitation, the Doctor pushed the ID card against the collar of the Slitheen, enveloping it in a blue sphere of electricity. Not just the revealed Slitheen, however, but the human version as well – which Thorne noted for later. The Slitheen instantly released Thorne, attempting to grab the ID card and remove it allowing the Doctor to grab Thorne’s hand and pull her away.

They burst into the entrance hall, gaining the attention of everyone which the Doctor used to his advantage, yelling: “Oi! If you want aliens, you've got them. They're inside Downing Street. Come on!”

The Doctor released Thorne’s hand, a subtle order for her to remain out of the firing line, and ran back into the room with a dozen armed police following behind him at close range. He returned a second later, though this time everyone’s guns were pointed at him and Thorne. Slowly, the Doctor manovered them so that both he and Thorne had their backs against the lift, which she subtly called.

“Under the jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorise you to execute this man!” cried the Slitheen in human skin.

“Well, now, yes, you see, er, the thing is, if I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them against the wall, between you and me, little word of advice –” Ding! The doors of the lift opened revealing their mistake. “Don't stand them against the lift!”

Immediately the two got in and closed the doors, breathing out a sigh of relief once they were out of the firing line. Grabbing Thorne’s arms, he quickly looked her over, making sure there was nothing wrong with her and that the Slitheen hadn’t damaged her in any way shape or form.

“I’m fine, Doctor, just a little shaken up…” said Thorne, smiling weakly. “If I never see another Slitheen, it will be too soon.”

**_ IRONY _ **

DING! The lift doors opened revealing another Slitheen standing there, claws ready to rip someone apart.

“Hello!” the Doctor said with his usual cheer.

The Slitheen looked at him and Thorne, who had gone very pale and was internally kicking herself for saying anything and cursing the universe for its great comedic timing, allowing Rose and Harriet to run behind it, which Thorne spotted just as the lift doors closed again.

“I really should learn not to say anything,” groaned Thorne, once they were once again safe.

“Don’t worry, it’s happened to be too,” said the Doctor, patting her hair lightly.

“I bet… crap! Doctor, Rose and another woman are down there with it! We need to get to them!” yelped Thorne, a new panic spreading through her system.

“Relax, I’ve got a plan,” said the Doctor, wiggling his eyebrows.

  
“Let me guess, run towards the danger,” deadpanned Thorne.

Sheepishly, the Doctor scratched the back of his neck: “Pretty much.”

Thorne nodded, completely accepting this: “Okay, I’m defiantly going to need a treadmill in my room on the Tardis.”

“We’ll work on that when we get out of here,” said the Doctor.

DING! The lift doors opened, revealing a Slitheenless floor – which Thorne rejoiced at before remembering they were about to go running at the Slitheen and her mood worsened. The Doctor stepped out and within seconds was grabbing Thorne’s hand and soon they were sprinting down the stairs towards the first floor where Rose and the Slitheen from before were located.

They had just made it onto the first floor when the lift dinged again. Quickly hiding behind a pillar, Thorne and the Doctor watched the doors open, revealing another two Slitheen – this time without their skin suits. Thorne felt the very real urge to punch the one who had been holding her in its tiny little baby face… she refrained for obvious reasons but that was now something she was adding to her bucket list.

Right after ‘get a pet scorpion named Terry.’

“It does us good to hunt. Purifies the blood,” said Green.

“We'll keep this floor quarantined as our last hunting ground before the final phase,” Asquith hissed.

The duo waited until both Slitheen were gone before moving from their hiding places. They kept their distance until the two aliens entered a room. Hearing Rose scream set off Thorne and she grabbed the fire extinguisher off of the wall and ran to the door. The Doctor could do nothing but watch as Thorne pointed the extinguisher at the three aliens, allowing Rose and Harriet to escape.

“Who the hell are you?” cried the Doctor upon spotting Harriet running out of the room alongside Rose and Thorne.

“Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North.”  
  


“Nice to meet you!”

“Likewise.”  
  


“Come on!” roared Thorne. “You two can talk when we’re safe!”

“Right! We need to head to the Cabinet Room,” said the Doctor, quickly catching up with Thorne and pulling her towards the room in question.

“The Emergency Protocols are in there. They give instructions for aliens!” said Harriet.

“Harriet Jones, I like you,” said the Doctor with a grin.

“And I like you too.”  
  


Hearing the yell of the Slitheen gave everyone a new burst of energy and soon they were charging into the cabinet room. The Doctor grabbed the decanter from the side table and stood in the doorway, holding his sonic screwdriver up to it. The Slitheen stood right in front of the door with a growl.

“One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off!” said the Doctor. The Slitheen took one step back into the Outer office. “Right then. Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?”

“They're aliens,” said Harriet.

“Yep, we all got that,” said Thorne, “be quiet.”

Harriet sent her an offended look but did as the younger girl instructed – she did save Harriet’s life after all.

“Who are you, if not human?” asked Green, his voice gravelly, as if he was translating his words through a computer.

“Who's not human?”  
  


“He's not human,” said Rose.

“He's not human?”  
  


“Can I have a bit of hush?” snapped the Doctor.  
  


“Sorry…”

“So, what's the plan?” asked the Doctor, returning to the Slitheen.

“But he's got a Northern accent,” said Harriet.

“Lots of planets have a north!” snapped Rose.

“SHUT UP!”

“Thank you, Thorne,” he turned back to the Slitheen. “Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?”  
  


“Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?” snarled Asquith.

“Then something's brought the Slitheen race here. What is it?”

That seemed to set the Slitheen off as they began laughing: “The Slitheen race?”  
  


“Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer-Day-Slitheen at your service,” said Green, bowing theatrically.

“So, you're family?” said Thorne.

“A family business,” agreed Green.

“Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a God-forsaken rock?”

“I can list several ways,” said Thorne, the Doctor and the Slitheen looked at her. “I’ll shut up now…”

“Ah, excuse me? Your device will do what?” interrupted Asquith. “Triplicate the flammability?”

“Is that what I said?” asked the Doctor.

“You're making it up!”

“Really? You’re only getting that now? Even I, a lowly human, managed to figure out he was bluffing. You know, I’m suddenly not so scared of you guys,” said Thorne, her hand on her hip.

“Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink,” said the Doctor, attempting to pass it backwards only to find Harriet clutching the Red Box. “I think you're gonna need it.”

“You pass it to the left first,” said Harriet.

“Sorry.”

Rose instantly accepted the decanter and took a swig.

“Thanks.”

The Slitheen were practically radiating smugness as they bared their claws at the Doctor and Thorne with evil grins.

“Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter,” said Asquith.

“Don't you think we should run?” asked Rose, grabbing Thorne’s wrist and pulling her behind her.

The Doctor ignored the question, keeping his eyes locked on the Slitheen as he spoke: “Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marshland. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson.”

The Doctor lifted a small panel by the door, exposing a red button which he instantly pushed. Metal shutters crashed shut around the windows and, with seconds to spare, the door stopping the Slitheen from getting to them. But also trapping them in the room.

“Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in,” said the Doctor smugly.

“And how do we get out?” asked Rose.

“Ah…”  
  


“You didn’t think this through, did you?” asked Thorne, already knowing the answer.

“Appears not…”

Without so much as a warning, Thorne slapped the back of the Doctor’s head before settling herself down in a chair. The Doctor, spotting the body of the man who had met them at the door, quickly placed him in the small storeroom, making sure that Thorne was distracted while he did so.

“What was his name?” asked the Doctor, looking down at him with a sad expression.

“Who?” asked Harriet, confused.

“This one. The secretary or whatever he was called,” said the Doctor, pointing at the body.

“I don't know. I talked to him. I brought him a cup of coffee. I never asked his name…” said Harriet, her tone sombre and soft.

“Sorry...” he mumbled before jumping back into action. He wouldn’t allow his emotions to get in the way of saving Rose and Thorne. “Right, what have we got? Any terminals, anything?”

“No. This place is antique,” said Rose. “What I don't get is, when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?”

“He's too slim. They're big old beasts. They need to fit inside big humans,” said the Doctor.

“That and the Prime Minister would have known hundreds of different things that the Slitheen don’t. It’s why they also locked out the rest of the MP cabinet probably… easier to hide in plain sight and not rouse suspicion by asking questions if you never had access to the information in the first place,” said Thorne absentmindedly.

“But the Slitheen are about eight feet. How do they fit inside, I mean sure those bodies are bigger but they’re not as tall?” said Rose.  
  


“That's the device around their necks. Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange,” said the Doctor.

“And their all linked!” said Thorne. “That’s why when you put the ID card on one, the other felt the effects too!”

“Wish I had a compression field. I could fit a size smaller,” joked Rose.

“Excuse me, people are dead!” yelled Harriet. “This is not the time for making jokes.”  
  


“Sorry… You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him,” said Rose softly.

“Well, that's a strange friendship.”

“Even stranger when you know what he is,” said Thorne. “But death doesn’t suddenly mean we can’t make jokes to ease the tension.”  
  


“Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones,” he turned to her. “You're not famous for anything, are you?”

“Oh, hardly,” scoffed Harriet.

“Rings a bell. Harriet Jones?” asked the Doctor, looking at the sisters.

“Nope… sorry,” said Thorne.

“It’s fine, dear. Lifelong backbencher, I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs.”

“Hasn't it got, like, defence codes and things? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?” asked Rose.

“Ooooh, I like that idea… though I’d prefer punching one in the face, myself,” said Thorne, grinning like a maniac.

“You're a very violent young woman,” Harriet said to Thorne.

“I’m a hormonal, fifteen-year-old girl, genius with anger issues and the ability to turn anything into a bomb. What did you expect?” asked Thorne, turning herself so she was facing Harriet with a raised eyebrow. “I’m basically a human volcano and I wanna explode.”

“Well, there's nothing like that in here,” said Harriet, seeing that Thorne was _very_ serious. “Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations.”

The Doctor’s head shot up, as did Thorne’s, the two stared at each other for a moment before turning to Harriet.

“Say that again,” ordered the Doctor.

“What, about the codes?”

“Anything. All of it,” said Thorne.

“Well, the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a Special Resolution from the UN,” explained Harriet.

“Like that's ever stopped them,” snorted Rose.

“Exactly, given our past record. And I voted against that, thank you very much. The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN. Is it important?”

“Everything's important,” said the Doctor.

“If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted. Listen to me. I'm saying Slitheen as if it's normal!”

“What do they want, though?” asked Rose.

“Well, they're just one family, so it's not an invasion. They don't want Slitheen World They're out to make money. That means they want to use something. Something here on Earth. Some kind of asset,” said the Doctor.

“Like what, gold? Oil? Water?” asked Harriet.

“You're very good at this,” said the Doctor.

“Thank you.”

“Harriet Jones. Why do I know that name?” the Doctor mumbled to himself.

“Diamonds!” said Thorne.

“Pardon?”

“Diamonds. Most of the Earth is made up of carbon right? With nuclear weapons you could put enough pressure on the Earth to be able to make it into a huge diamond!”

Suddenly, Rose’s phone began to beep, Harriet looked around for the origins only for Rose to pull out her phone with a hesitant smile.

“Oh, that's me,” said Rose.

“But we're sealed off. How did you get a signal?” asked Harriet.

“He zapped it,” said Rose pointing at the Doctor. “Superphone.”

“Then we can phone for help. You must have contacts,” said Harriet to the Doctor.

“Dead downstairs, yeah,” nodded the Doctor sombrely.

“I have six in America and four in Russia,” said Thorne. “None who would be useful in this situation.”

Looking at her phone, Rose smiled slightly, looking up: “It's Mickey.”

“Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy,” snapped the Doctor.

“Yeah, he's not so stupid after all,” said Rose. She held up the phone for them to see, there on the screen was a Slitheen, glowing blue.

**~{Roses]~**

“: No, no, no, no, no. Not just alien, but like, proper alien. All stinking, and wet, and disgusting. And more to the point, it wanted to kill us!” cried Mickey.

“I could've died!” Thorne heard Jackie yelp.

That alone let Thorne know that her mother was safe and sound. She released a breath she didn’t know she had been holding and melted into the chair she was sitting on.

“Is she all right, though? Don't put her on, just tell me,” ordered Rose.

The Doctor rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone, putting it up to his ear. He stopped Rose when she looked about ready to explode. Thorne just shook her head at Rose’s indignation and waited.

“Is that Ricky?” said the Doctor. “Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer.”

“It's Mickey, and why should I?”

“Mickey the Idiot, I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but, er, I need you,” said the Doctor.

“What do I do?” asked Mickey.

Instantly, Thorne grabbed the phone from the Doctor, who gave her the same look as Rose.

“Right, before you do anything the Doctor says, there’s a small icon on your laptop in the shape of chrome. It’s a hackers tool I use when you let me on your laptop, makes you untraceable to those who don’t know what their looking for,” explained Thorne. “We don’t want anyone tracing it back to you once your done.”

“Hacking!”

“Mum, later,” said Thorne. “I’m gonna hand you back to the Doctor now.”

**~{Are}~**

I had taken a few minutes, and a lot of telling Jackie to be quiet but Mickey eventually made it to the UNIT homepage. He was incredibly proud of himself, even if he needed Thorne to explain a few things every now and then…

“It says password,” said Mickey into the phone.

The Doctor, not able to fully hear, plugged the phone into the conference room speaker, allowing everyone to hear it. Harriet was practically devouring her fingernails in an attempt to remain calm as she watched Thorne and the Doctor work.

“Say again,” said the Doctor.

“It's asking for the password.”  
  


“Buffalo,” said the Doctor, unconcerned. “Two Fs, one L.”

“All the secret information known to mankind. See, they've known about aliens for years. They just kept us in the dark,” said Mickey in awe.

“Mickey, you were born in the dark,” said the Doctor.

Rose slapped the back of his head in annoyance: “Oh, leave him alone.”

“Thank you,” said Mickey, to Rose. Something else popped up on his screen. “Password again.”

“Just repeat it every time,” ordered the Doctor. Suddenly he turned away from the phone, looking Thorne directly in the eyes as he spoke: “Big Ben - why did the Slitheen go and hit Big Ben?”

“You said to gather the experts, to kill them,” said Harriet.

“That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon,” said the Doctor dismissively. “You don't need to crash land in the middle of London.”

“The Slitheen are hiding, but then they put the entire planet on Red alert. What would they do that for?” asked Rose.

“Oh, listen to her,” Jackie’s voice came through the phone.

“At least I'm trying!” snapped Rose.

“Well, I've got a question, if you don't mind. Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughters disappear off the face of the Earth,” ranted Jackie.

“I told you what happened,” said Rose pleadingly.

“Mum –”

“I'm talking to him,” the Doctor looked at the phone, an unreadable expression on his face. “'Cos I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Are my daughters safe?”

“I'm fine,” said Rose.

“Me too, mum. We’re both fine.”

“Are they safe? Will they always be safe? Can you promise me that?” hearing nothing Jackie growled. “Well, what's the answer?”

“We're in,” said Mickey, having taken the phone from Jackie again.

This seemed to snap the Doctor out of it and his face suddenly lit up. “Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that.”

“What is it?” asked Mickey.

There was a signal coming through the phone it sounded so familiar to Throne and yet she couldn’t put her finger on it.

“The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, let me work out what it's saying. It's some sort of message.”

“What's it say?” asked Rose.

“Don't know. It's on a loop, keeps repeating,” said the Doctor.

Suddenly Mickey’s doorbell rang, interrupting the Doctor’s train of thought. He growled in annoyance and focused on the phone once more.

“Hush!” he ordered.

“That's not me,” cried Mickey. He turned to Jackie. “Go and see who that is.”

“It's three o'clock in the morning,” they heard Jackie reply.

“Well, go and tell them that,” said Mickey angrily.

“It's beaming out into space, who's it for?” asked the Doctor.

“Advertising?” said Thorne thoughtfully. “They said they wanted to sell something, right? So it’s advertising.”

“Thorne, you genius!” said the Doctor with a grin.

SLAM!

Immediately everyone in the cabinet room turned to the phone. Thorne felt herself go pale and Rose was quick to grab her hand, squeezing softly.

“They've found us!” cried Mickey.

“Mickey, I need that signal!” said the Doctor.

“Never mind the signal, get out! Mum, just get out! Get out!” yelled Rose.

“Run!” yelped Thorne.

“We can't. It's by the front door. Oh, my God, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us!” cried Mickey. Fear was the only thing they could hear in his voice and Thorne felt her heart stop.

“There's got to be some way of stopping them! You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!” said Harriet.

Harriet grabbed Thorne, forcing her into a chair upon noticing her about to faint. Rose was worse but was doing her best to remain strong.

“I'm trying!” said the Doctor, eyes wide and fearful.

“I'll take it on, Jackie. You just run. Don't look back. Just run!” Mickey yelped.

The sound of the front door splintering reached Thorne’s ears.

“That's my mother,” whimpered Rose.

“Mummy!” yelped Thorne, tears falling in tsunamis.

And suddenly, Thorne was the frightened child she looked like, gone was her shield of intelligence. She was a scared little girl crying out for her mother out of pure fear… and it broke the Doctor’s hearts.

“Right, If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from,” said the Doctor, new energy imbued into him as he did his best to avoid Thorne’s fear filled face. “Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within travelling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!”

“They're green.”

“Yep, narrows it down.”  
  


“Good sense of smell.”

“Narrows it down.”

“They can smell adrenalin.”

“Narrows it down.”

“The pig technology.”  
  


“Narrows it down.”  
  


“The spaceship in the Thames, you said slipstream engine?”

“Narrows it down.”

“It's getting in!” yelled Mickey.

This sent Thorne over the edge and she burst into tears, rocking back and forth in the chair as she tried not to listen to what was going on around her.

“They hunt like it's a ritual!” continued Rose.

“Narrows it down.”  
  


“Wait a minute. Did you notice? When they fart, if you'll pardon the word, it doesn't just smell like a fart, if you'll pardon the word, it's something else. What is it? It's more like, er –”

“– Bad breath!” cried Thorne, her head snapping up in seconds.

“That's it!” nodded Harriet.

“Calcium decay! Now, that narrows it down!” chirped the Doctor.

“We're getting there, Mum!” said Rose into the phone.

“Too late!” snapped Mickey back.

“Calcium phosphate. Organic calcium. Living calcium. Creatures made out of living calcium. What else? What else? Hyphenated surname. Yes! That narrows it down to one planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius!” cried the Doctor cheerfully.

“Oh, yeah, great. We could write 'em a letter!” snarled Mickey.

Finally, the door fell apart and the Slitheen entered the flat.

“Get into the kitchen!” ordered the Doctor.

“Calcium, weakened by the compression field. Acetic acid. Vinegar!” said Thorne, springing up and moving towards the phone.

“Just like Hannibal!” said Harriet.

“Just like Hannibal,” agreed the Doctor. “Mickey, have you got any vinegar?”

“How should I know?” said Mickey.

Thorne rolled her eyes, her previous fears forgotten.

“It's your kitchen!” said the Doctor, like it was obvious.

Rose pushed him out of the way and moved closer to the phone: “Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf.”

“Oh, give it here. What do you need?” said Jackie.

“Anything with vinegar!” explained the Doctor.

“Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions. Pickled eggs!”

Thorne, the Doctor and Harriet winced and all looked at Rose.

“And you kiss this man?” asked the Doctor.

BANG! The door was broken and the sound of liquid against a hard surface were heard. Soon there was a massive explosion and it was clear that both Jackie and Mickey were alive as they both retched in unison.

The Tyler sisters let out a sigh of relief.

“Hannibal?” asked Rose.

“Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar,” explained Harriet.

“Oh. Well, there you go then.”

Each of them – apart from Thorne – grabbed a glass of port from the decanter, taking a large and well-deserved drink.

**~{Red}~**

“Listen to this,” said Mickey, holding his phone up to the TV.

“Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty five seconds.”

“What?” said the Doctor.

“Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war.”

“He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it!”

“Do you think they'll believe him?” asked Harriet.

“They did last time,” said Rose.

“That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out.”

“They release the defence code –” gaped Thorne.

“And the Slitheen go nuclear,” agreed the Doctor.

“But why?” asked Harriet.

The Doctor didn’t answer, instead he charged over to the door, releasing the metal shutters and exposing a now clothed Slitheen and a naked one.

“You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. Whole planet gets nuked,” stated the Doctor.

“And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away.”

“But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?” cried Harriet.

“Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space, Thorne was right it’s an advert.”

“The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel,” said the Slitheen, smiling evilly.

“At the cost of five billion lives,” snarled Thorne.

“Bargain,” the Slitheen bit back, with just as much venom.

“I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you,” said the Doctor, his voice void of any emotions.

“What, you? Trapped in your box?” the two Slitheen laughed.

“Yes. Me.”

The Doctor closed the shutters and for a second Thorne saw worry cross the human slitheen’s face.

“All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do,” said Jackie over the phone.

“If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid,” said Harriet, attempting to help.

“I would take too long,” said Thorne. “And port doesn’t ferment the same way as most alcohol so it wouldn’t be enough of an acid to work with what your planning.”

“Mickey, any luck?” asked Rose.

“There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail,” said Mickey. “Even Thorne’s emergency numbers are dead.”

“Voicemail dooms us all,” joked Harriet, though the smile she had was short lived.

“If we could just get out of here,” said Rose angrily slamming her hands on the table.

“There's a way out…” said the Doctor.

“What?” asked Rose.

“There's always been a way out.”  
  


“Then why don't we use it?”

“Because I can't guarantee your daughters will be safe,” said the Doctor, talking directly to Jackie.

“Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare!” snarled Jackie.

“That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies!” said the Doctor, with just as much anger.

He looked broken. Thorne gently took his hand, forcing him to look at her and Rose.

“Do it,” they ordered in unison.

“You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?” asked the Doctor, confused.

“Yeah.”  
  


“We trust you.”

“Please. Doctor. Please. They’re my daughters. They’re just kids,” begged Jackie, on the edge of tears.

**“Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will!”**

“Then what're you waiting for?” asked Rose.

“I could save the world but lose you,” he said quietly, looking between the girls with the look of a lost puppy.

“Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine,” said Harriet, breaking their thoughts.

“And who the hell are you?” roared Jackie.

“Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it.”

**~{Violets}~**

“How do we get out?” asked Rose.

“We don't,” said the Doctor, sighing. “We stay here.”  
  


He grabbed the Emergency Protocols from the Red Box, scanning them in a second before handing them to Thorne. It was more to give Thorne something to focus on while he planned their deaths. It was hard, thinking of what was going to happen, what he was going to _make_ happen, and knowing that Thorne was only fifteen-years-old.

“Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything,” the Doctor ordered.

“What’s he doing?” asked Rose.

“Hacking the Royal Navy, the only people with missiles that are close enough for this to work,” Thorne replied, continuously looking through the protocols.

“We're in,” said Mickey. “Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth.”

“Right, we need to select a missile,” said the Doctor, moving closer to the phone.

“We can't go nuclear. We don't have the defence codes,” said Mickey.

“We don't need it,” said the Doctor. “All we need's an ordinary missile… What's the first category?”  
  


“Sub Harpoon, UGM-A4A,” said Mickey.

“That's the one. Select… You ready for this?” said the Doctor.

“Yeah…” said Mickey, hesitantly.

“Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands. Fire!”

“Oh, my God,” whimpered Jackie.

Harriet looked around, staring at the metal that surrounded them, an idea formed in her mind. She spoke: “How solid are these?”

“Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big,” said the Doctor.

Harriet’s face fell.

Rose stood, her shoulders squared and with a determined flame burning in her eyes.

“All right, now I'm making the decision. We’re not going to die,” said Rose, firmly. “We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes.” She moved over to the small cupboard where the bodies were located. She looked inside and looked back at Thorne for confirmation and, upon seeing Thorne’s massive smile, continued with her speech. “You can survive them by standing under a doorframe. Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong… Come and help me. Come on.”  
  


Harriet and Thorne instantly moved to help Rose. They began emptying the cupboard as best they could, throwing things carelessly. They weren’t going to die here! Thorne was sure of it.

“It's on radar,” said Mickey. “Counter defence five five six.”

“Stop them intercepting it!” said the Doctor.

“I'm doing it now.”

“Good boy!” grinned the Doctor.

“Five five six neutralised!”

The Doctor quickly unplugged the phone, rushing into the cupboard alongside Thorne, Rose and Harriet. They held on to each other as tightly as possible, closing their eyes and praying that this would work.

“Here we go,” said Harriet, giving them a wavering smile. “Nice knowing you three. Hannibal!”

KABOOM!

The cupboard shook, shudders and banged against a load of things. It rolled and threw itself from side to side. Rose kept Thorne at her side, holding her younger sister to her chest and taking the most of the hits from the sides of the cupboard. The Doctor threw himself over the three girls as the cupboard stopped moving and they all fell to the ground.

Gaining his footing once more, the Doctor pushed the steel door off of the hinges, allowing Harriet to step out.

“Made in Britain,” gasped Harriet, turning to help Thorne out from Rose’s arms.

“Oh, my God. Are you all right?” cried a random man.

“Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news!”

“Yes, ma'am.”  
  


“Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out,” said Harriet, turning to help the Doctor and Rose. Realisation hit her in an instant she gaped: “Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister.”

“Maybe you should have a go,” prompted the Doctor.

“Me? Huh. I'm only a back-bencher,” said Harriet, shaking off the suggestion.

“I'd vote for you,” said Rose.

“Hey, I’ve got three years, defiantly would vote though!”

“Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on!” Harriet rushed away towards the pile of rubble that had once been number ten. “We're safe! The Earth is safe! Sergeant!”

“I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age,” grinned the Doctor.

“The crisis has passed! Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race!”

**~{Are}~**

When they returned to the Powell Estate, the two girls were swallowed into a hug by Jackie. Thorne was honestly so glad that her mother was okay and still alive. She silently made a promise that she’d call her mother after every adventure, if only to make sure Jackie didn’t worry about them.

Currently, they were sitting in the living-room of their flat, Thorne tinkering with her little robots. Seeing Harriet on the TV, Thorne was quick to turn up the sound and draw attention to it.

“Mankind stands tall, proud –”

“Harriet Jones. Who does she think she is? Look at her, taking all the credit. Should be you two on there. My daughters saved the world!” cried Jackie angrily at the TV.

“I think the Doctor helped a bit,” said Rose.

“A lot,” corrected Thorne.

“All right, then. Him too. You should be given knighthoods,” said Jackie begrudgingly.

“That's not the way he does things. No fuss,” said Rose, with a shrug. “He just moves on. He's not that bad if you gave him a chance.”

“He's good in a crisis, I'll give him that,” said Jackie.

She handed Thorne some tea and another screwdriver. Rose just chuckled as Thorne growled at the screwdriver for not working properly.

“Oh, now the world has changed, you're saying nice things about him,” chuckled Rose.

“Well, I reckon I've got no choice. There's no getting rid of him since you're infatuated,” said Jackie.

“I'm not infatuated!”

“Yeah, I’m only with him for the Tardis,” said Thorne with a chuckle. “Ow!”

“What does he eat?” asked Jackie, her head popping out of the kitchen.

“How do you mean?”

“I was going to do shepherds pie. All of us. A proper sit down, 'cos I'm ready to listen. I wanna learn about you two and him and that life you lead. Only, I don't know, he's an alien. For all I know, he eats grass and safety pins and things,” said Jackie with a shrug.

“He'll have shepherd pie,” said Thorne.

“You're going to cook for him?” asked Rose, clearly confused.

“What's wrong with that?”  
  


“He's finally met his match,” Rose joked.

The Tyler sisters chuckled as Jackie emerged from the kitchen with a tea-towel in hand.

“You're not too old for a slap, you know,” said Jackie. “You can go and visit your Gran tomorrow, Rose. You'd better learn some French – I know Thorne already knows a lot.”

“Oui, bien que maintenant je me demande pourquoi vous avez besoin de nous pour connaître le français?”

“I told her you two were in France. I said you were au-pairing,” explained Jackie.

Jackie returned to the kitchen and Thorne put her robots into her bag – alongside some of her clothing and tools. Rose watched her do so and she quickly grabbed her own bag to do the very same. Suddenly, hearing her phone ring, Rose quickly flipped it open and pressed it to her ear.

“Hello?” said Rose.

“Right, I'll be a couple of hours, then we can go,” the Doctor said.

Rose motioned for Thorne to stand near her and put the phone on speaker so that the two could hear. Jackie was too busy in the kitchen for her to truly hear anything going on in the living-room.

“You've got a phone?” asked Rose.

“You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone?” the Doctor’s voice called, incredulously. “Like I said, couple of hours. I've just got to send out this dispersal.” He did something. “There you go. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up.”

“Er, my mother's cooking,” said Rose.

“Good. Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer,” said the Doctor.

Thorne chuckled.

“She's cooking tea,” said Thorne. “For the three of us.”

“I don't do that,” dismissed the Doctor.

“She wants to get to know you,” said Rose.

“Tough. I've got better things to do,” he continued to dismiss.

“It's just tea!” said Rose.

“Not to me it isn't,” he explained.

“She's our mother,” begged Thorne.

“Well, she's not mine.”

“That's not fair,” said Rose.

“Well, you can stay there if you want, but right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula. Fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the Tardis right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out. Hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. Your choice,” said the Doctor.

The two girls shared a look and instantly grabbed their bag to begin packing. Thorne, luckily, was mostly packed anyway so she just ran into Rose’s room to help her with her own packing. Jackie, exiting the kitchen, walked over to Rose’ bedroom.

“Rose, I was thinking. I've got that bottle of Amaretto from New Year's Eve,” she turned and looked into the room. “Does he drink?” Upon seeing what the two girls were doing, her face fell. “I was wondering whether he drinks or not.”

“Yeah, he does,” nodded Rose.

“Don't go, sweethearts. Please don't go!” begged Jackie.

“I’ll go and meet the Doctor,” mumbled Thorne.

Thorne grabbed her own bag and walked out of the flat. Jackie knew better than to stop Thorne from doing something – Thorne was always stubborn when she wanted to be – but she was hoping to stop Rose from going – and therefore stopping Thorne who’d never do anything without her sister.

She walked down the stairs, thinking of the expression on Jackie’s face with a sigh. It wouldn’t stop her from leaving and adventuring with the Doctor, but it did make her feel like crap for doing it. Throwing open the doors, Thorne watched as the Doctor handed Mickey a CD – or Thorne assumed it was. She didn’t move closer, knowing that Mickey and the Doctor probably didn’t need her listening to him again.

Jackie and Rose came out of the block of flats about five minutes after Thorne. Rose sent her baby sister a grin, taking her hand, and moving towards the Tardis. Jackie followed slightly behind them.

“I'll get a proper job. I'll work weekends. I'll pass my test, and if Jim comes round again, I'll say no. I really will!” begged Jackie, on the brink of tears.

“I'm not leaving because of you, neither is Thorne. We’re travelling, that's all, and then we’ll come back,” said Rose.

“But it's not safe.”

“Mum, if you saw it out there you'd never stay home,” said Rose.

“I promise, we’ll call you after every adventure,” said Thorne, hugging Jackie tightly.

“You better, baby,” said Jackie, hugging Thorne just as tightly.

“Got enough stuff?” asked the Doctor, seeing their bags.

“Last time we stepped in there, it was spur of the moment,” said Rose. “Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me.”

“And don’t even forget about me!” said Thorne, untangling herself from her mother.

Rose handed the rucksack to the Doctor before turning to Mickey while Thorne rushed inside to drop her bag on what had quickly become known as ‘her’ chair. The Tardis was quick to take the bag and deposit it in Thorne’s room. Thorne then turned around and stood beside the Doctor at the Tardis doors.

“Good luck, yeah. Take care little Rose,” said Mickey.

“You two, Mouse,” said Thorne hugging Mickey, tightly.

Jackie turned, eyes blazing, towards the Doctor: “You still can't promise me. What if they get lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and they’re left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away. How long do I wait then?”

“Mum, you're forgetting. It's a time machine,” said Rose. “We could go travelling around suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe, and by the time we get back, yeah, ten seconds would have passed. Just ten seconds. So stop worrying. See you in ten seconds' time, yeah?”

Thorne agreed.

“You can wait ten seconds right? For us?”

Jackie nodded and the Tyler family had one last hug before heading into the Tardis after the Doctor.


	7. Chapter Six: Dalek

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Note:** I have finally decided to return to this story after Lydia Faith's (aka DevilsPuppetMaster's) death in February. I will be sticking to the original plot of the entire series and not deviating from anything so all of these plans are from DevilsPuppetMaster.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19-years-old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter Six:** _Dalek_

Upon stepping out of the Tardis, the three travellers were incredibly confused. They had arrived in what appeared to be a dimly lit corridor with a long red carpet running through the middle and display cases along either side of the wall. Wherever this place was, it was in pristine condition with not even a speck of dust anywhere to be seen. There were also no people …

“So what is it? What's wrong?” asked Rose, stepping out so that she was standing beside Thorne.

She, too, looked around with a perplexed look on her face. Something was missing from this place and it didn’t make any sense. If Rose didn’t know any better, and she did, she’d have thought that the Doctor had landed in the wrong place.

“Don't know. Some kind of signal drawing the Tardis off course,” the Doctor answered, gently stroking the blue exterior of his ship.

“Where are we?” asked Thorne, attempting to stop the nagging urge to touch everything.

Rose wrapped her arms around Thorne, keeping both hands at her sides, and gave her a sly grin. It appears that Rose remembered Thorne’s habit of touching things when she didn’t understand things. The Doctor glanced at them for a second before shaking his head and paying attention to the room around them in hopes of answering the question.

“Earth. Utah, North America… About half a mile underground.”

“I genuinely want to know how you find this out,” said Thorne, “but I also don’t because that would ruin the majesty of you doing it.”

“Sounds like me and Houdini,” chuckled the Doctor.

“You met Houdini!” grinned Thorne.

“Guys, back on track please!” said Rose. “When are we?”

“Two thousand and twelve,” answered the Doctor sheepishly.

It was at this point that the Doctor noticed the same display case that Thorne had wanted to touch earlier. The room was too dark to see what was inside the case so, like the smart person he was, the Doctor went looking for a light switch, while Rose and Thorne thought about the date and what that meant for them.

“God, that's so close. So, I should be twenty-six,” said Rose with a laugh at the end.

“I’d be twenty-two,” said Thorne. “Damn, that’s weird to think about…”

“Yeah, it really is.”

The Doctor let out a little cheer upon finding a light switch and was quick to turn it on. Slowly, the lights blinked into life, one section at a time, temporarily blinding the three travellers. Everything was a lot clearer now and the display cases had been lit up as well.

Rose released Thorne and looked around, specifically at the display cases. They were filled with different ALIEN PARTS! How did Thorne know this? Because there was a Slitheen ARM in one of the cases. Was the universe still mocking her? Did the universe just like annoying her with a reminder of those huge baby-faced aliens that almost snapped her neck/sold her off? Was the universe just being a dick at this point? Thorne _really_ wanted to know.

“Blimey. It's a great big museum!” cried Rose, seeing the arm that Thorne did.

“An alien museum,” agreed the Doctor. “Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this.” The Doctor moved about, through the museum, looking at different display cases with the girls following right behind him as he explained. “Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship.”

“Cool, this must be a great way to keep score,” said Thorne absentmindedly.

“That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed,” said Rose, pointing back at the display case they had first seen.

“I should probably be angry that a Slitheen had their arm removed and stuffed _but_ it was a Slitheen and their family members did try and kill us…” said Thorne. “Doesn’t make it right, just means they get less of my sympathy … I sound really bad right now. Wow, I suddenly feel the urge to apologise to a Slitheen.”

The Doctor wasn’t paying attention to what Thorne was saying as his blue eyes had already been drawn to a specific case. He walked towards it slowly, tensely, with a gait full of static energy.

“Oh, look at you,” said the Doctor, bending down.

He was now face to face with the creature in the display case.

“What is it?” the Tylers asked.

Inside the display case was the head of a Cyberman. The face was flat and silver. It was just a head and looked like it had been ripped off. The Doctor stared at it sadly, with eyes clouded by memory as he answered the question. Thorne gently took the Doctor’s hand and squeezed it, hoping that the gesture would give him some comfort.

“An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit.” He sighed. “I'm getting old.”

“Is that where the signal's coming from?” asked Rose.

“No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help,” said the Doctor.

Reaching for the case, the Doctor – of course – set off an alarm. It was deafening, to the point Thorne’s hands were covering her ears to stop them from bleeding. For the second time in three days, armed guards came rushing in from all sides and surrounded them, cutting them off from the Tardis and trapping them. Both the Doctor and Rose moved Thorne between them – like always because Thorne is a fragile baby – and raised their hands.

“If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A,” said Rose, quietly.

“Yeah, but whose Exhibit B?”

**~{Roses}~**

A very stern looking man sat behind a large desk staring at the trio with a calculating look. A blonde woman stood next to him with a cold expression. A young man stood next to a desk holding a load of different items that didn’t look human in origin. He was incredibly skittish looking and seemed to be incredibly hyper.

“And this is the last. Paid eight hundred thousand dollars for it,” said the boy, excitedly.

“What does it do?” the man asked.

“Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel.”

The way the boy was holding it made the Doctor cringe. He debated speaking for a few seconds before doing just that and ignoring the look Thorne and Rose sent him.

“I really wouldn't hold it like that,” said the Doctor, bringing attention to him.

“Shut it!” the woman ordered.

“Really, though, that's wrong,” he tried again.

“Is it dangerous?” asked the boy, cautiously looking between the item and the Doctor.

“No, it just looks silly.”

Without thinking, the Doctor reached for the item. A dozen firing bolts clicked all around him as guns were aimed. The man waved his hand, the guns lowered, and handed the Doctor the item, watching him calculatingly. The Doctor gently accepted the device and moved it so that it was facing the correct way.

“You just need to be –” the Doctor stoked the item causing it to make a beautiful sound. “Delicate.”

He continued playing for a few seconds as the realisation set in.

“It's a musical instrument,” the man gaped, smiling.

“And it's a long way from home,” said the Doctor sadly.

“Here, let me.”

The man took the instrument back and began petting it. He was a lot harsher than the Doctor and the notes that came out were somewhat pained, as if it was alive and groaning in discomfort.

“I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision,” said the Doctor.

Finally the man got the hang of it and smiled in glee. Thorne narrowed her eyes but kept her thoughts to herself, simply choosing to allow the Doctor to handle it.

“Very good. Quite the expert,” said the Doctor.

“As are you.”

The man quickly tossed it aside, onto the floor. Thorne stared at it sadly as it let out a squeak of pain. Rose gently grabbed Thorne’s hand behind the Doctor’s back.

“Who exactly are you?” the man asked.

“I'm the Doctor. And who are you?”  
  


“Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake.”

“Pretty much sums him up, yeah,” agreed Thorne before she shrunk away from the man.

“The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice. You're quite a collector yourself, she's rather pretty and the young one seems just as smart as English over there.”

“She's going to smack you if you keep calling her she,” snapped Rose.

“And I’m not afraid to kick you in the genitals if you call me young one! Only the Doctor gets to call me that.”

“She's English too!” said the man, referring to Rose. “Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend.”

“This is Mister Henry Van Statten,” the boy explained, stepping forward.

“And who's he when he's at home?” asked Rose.

“Mister Van Statten owns the internet,” said the boy.

“Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet,” snapped Rose.

“Well…”

“And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?” smirked Van Statten. He winked at them and Thorne had to physically hold the bile down in her throat.

“So, you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up,” stated the Doctor.

There was an edge to his tone that made Thorne worry. His fists were clenched and jaw locked and she, subtly, held his index finger in hopes of calming him down, if only slightly.

“And you claim greater knowledge?” Van Statten raised an eyebrow.

“I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am.”  
  


“And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?”

“You tell me.”  
  


“The cage contains my one living specimen.”

“And what's that?”

“Like you don't know.”

“Show me.”  
  


“You want to see it?”

“Blimey, you can smell the testosterone,” said Rose.

“Someone get a measuring tape, it will get things done quicker than this conversation,” said Thorne.

“Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girls,” Van Statton ordered. “Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet.”

**~{Are}~**

The boy, whose name they had learned was Adam, led them up to his personal floor where hundreds of different items were scattered around. Guns, weapons and paperweights were stacked all around different desks and there were papers stacked higher than Thorne.

“Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods,” stuttered Adam. He grabbed what looked like an inch of thick metal from the table and held it up for the two girls to see and examine. “What do you think that is?”

“Er, a lump of metal?” said Rose.

“Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist!”

“That's amazing,” said Rose.

The girls shared a look. They knew better than to let on that they could travel through space and time: Van Statten would probably force the Doctor to show him how then take the Tardis and lock the three of them up. Adam seemed like a nice kid but he obviously valued Van Statten’s opinion highly – probably more than his own – and that meant he couldn’t be trusted.

Thorne knew she’d have to keep her mouth shut, which was easier said than done. She’d leave the conversation to Rose, who was always a better people person while Thorne preferred robots, and pray that the Doctor wasn’t an idiot. She’d have to pray incredibly hard, though, because the Doctor had the same problem Thorne had of ‘I NEED TO CORRECT YOU.’ Maybe Thorne had picked it up from the Doctor? Or maybe hanging around him had made it worse? Probably the second one.

“I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life,” said Adam, he was jumping around like a school boy with a huge grin.

“I'm gobsmacked, yeah. And you do what, sit here and catalogue it?”

“Best job in the world,” agreed Adam, not seeing the sarcasm.

“Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real,” said Rose, testing the waters.

“Yeah, I'd give anything. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes.”

“Oh, you never know. What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?”

“I think they're nutters.”

That let Rose know everything about him.

“Yeah, me too. So, how'd you end up here?”

“Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit,” said Adam.

“Oh, right. You're a genius,” said Rose.

She glanced at Thorne with a raised eyebrow. Thorne just shrugged and continued looking around.

“Sorry, but yeah. I can't help it. I was born clever. When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three,” said Adam, blushing.

“Eight? I did it when I was six,” mumbled Thorne. “Though that was only ‘cos I was bored and it was a Sunday … I wasn’t a good kid when I was younger, huh.”

Adam didn’t seem to hear Thorne but Rose did. It wasn’t as if the story was new, Rose had been with Thorne when it had happened. They had been in the library and Thorne had gotten onto the computer and managed to get onto the US defence system. She hadn’t been close to causing World War Three, however, but the pair had thought it was hilarious when they left a message on the massive navel screen… before the military had found them and put Thorne on a watch list.

Good times.

“What, and that's funny, is it?” said Rose, remembering what the Slitheen had almost done.

“Well, you should've been there just to see them running about. Fantastic!” cried Adam.

“You sound like the Doctor,” said Rose.

“Are you and him?” asked Adam, hesitantly.

“No, we're just friends!”

“EW!” hissed Thorne.

“Good.”

“Why is it good?” asked Rose.

“Someone has a crush,” said Thorne, smirking.

“It just is,” said Adam, blushing.

“So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten's got a living creature down there,” said Rose.

“Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself,” said Adam. “Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comm. system.”

Adam moved over to the computer and sat down. He grinned at Rose and Thorne who quickly joined him on either shoulder.

“Let's have a look, then,” said Rose.

“It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird. It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot,” said Adam, pulling it up on screen.

Adam was right, it was just a huge pepper pot with metal balls all around the bottom of it. It had a long eye-stalk that had a blue light at the end and had two little arms that were hard to make out from the footage. It seemed so familiar to Thorne, like something she had seen before, but the memories were fuzzy, like there was a metal door in the way that she couldn’t open.

It was screaming! Or at least, that’s what it sounded like. A man was holding a massive drill to its casing, turning it on and seemingly attempting to break it open.

“It's being tortured!” cried Thorne. “Why are they doing that? Where's the Doctor?”

“I don't know,” said Adam, he too seemed to be in shock.

“Take us down there now!” ordered Thorne.

“Thorne!” said Rose.

“NO! Rose, look at it! It’s in pain! If the Doctor isn’t there to help it then we should! We don’t even know what it is, what if it has a family or-or if its just a kid? It’s done nothing! It doesn’t deserve to be tortured! We have to help it!” snapped Thorne. “We have to help it.”

“Okay… okay. Adam is that possible?”

**~{Red}~**

Adam walked just in front of them, swallowing loudly, as they approached the cage. Thorne was attempting to keep her anger in check but there was something else. With every step towards the cage, Thorne felt a pressure on her chest grow. Rose held her hand, tightly as they got closer to the soldiers.

“Hold it right there,” a solider ordered, pointing his gun at them.

Gulping back his fear, Adam showed the solider something that was in his hand, stating clearly: “Level three access. Special clearance from Mister Van Statten.”

The soldier nodded, lowering the gun, allowing them to pass him. Rose still kept Thorne close, however, as they watched the cage door open with hooded expressions. The pressure on Thorne’s chest was reaching a new strength but that didn’t deter her from entering the cage alongside her sister and Adam.

“Don't get too close,” said Adam.

The door slammed closed behind them and the click of tumbler bolts slipping back into place echoed around the confined room. The Alien remained in the centre of the room, chained and dented, not even looking at them. It almost looked like it was about to cry … though it had no face.

Thorne stepped closer to it. She didn’t get within touching distance, though, she wasn’t stupid enough for that. She waited until the eye stalk turned to her, to examine her, before speaking, hoping that this was enough to show that she wasn’t going to harm it.

“Hello,” said Thorne softly, “Are you in pain? My name's Thorne Tyler, this is my sister Rose. We've got a friend, he can help.” She moved closer, though remained out of each of the eye stalk. “He's called the Doctor. What's your name?”

“Yes.”

The creature’s voice was gruff, gravelly and seemed almost like a dulled scream. Thorne didn’t know whether that was its original voice of it that had happened due to being tortured for so long by those men. She didn’t think it was polite to ask, so she focused on what it had said.

“What?” asked Thorne.

“I am in pain,” it said. It paused between every word, like it was trying to catch its breath but couldn’t. It turned its eye stalk away. “They torture me, but still they fear me.” The eye stalk turned back to stare at her again. “Do you fear me?”

_Yes_

“No.”

“I am dying,” the creature said gravelly.

Its eye stalk turned downward.

Rose stepped forwards, moving closer than Thorne had. Thorne sent her a warning look but otherwise didn’t speak her mind. She didn’t want the creature to think she was afraid of it – even though her heart was breaking at three times its normal pace – she didn’t want to lie to it in its, possibly, final moments.

“No, we can help,” said Rose, gently.

The creature turned to face Rose, looking her up and down before turning back to Thorne to do the same. It seemed to have figured out they were siblings or at least related, which Thorne hoped meant it would trust them.

“I welcome death.” It moved back to face Rose. “But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid.”

Thorne felt tears collect in her eyes. Damn her bleeding heart.

“Isn't there anything I can do?” asked Thorne, softly.

“My race is dead, and I shall die alone.”

The blue light of the eye stalk went black and Thorne moved away from it towards Adam. Rose, however, moved closer to the creature, reaching towards the creature’s head.

“Rose, no!” cried Adam.

A brief touch leaves a golden handprint which fades as the creature’s light came back on. Rose jumped back in fear and Thorne let out a cry of fear.

“Genetic material extrapolated. Initiate cellular reconstruction!”

The creature’s chains snapped off and it moved around. The cage door slammed open and someone came running in. He was holding the massive drill and moved in front of them.

“What the hell have you done?”

Instantly, the trio ran out of the cage, Rose throwing Thorne in front of her and towards the door as best she can. The moment they were outside, the cage slammed shut and soldiers pointed their guns towards the door. Rose hugged Thorne to her chest – making sure she couldn’t see what was happening on screen.

“It's killing him! Do something!” Rose yelled.

“Condition red! Condition red!”

“You've got to keep it in that cell!” the voice of the Doctor called from the computer screen.

“Doctor, it's all my fault,” said Rose.

Thorne moved away from Rose and was thankful when she saw the Doctor’s face, even if it was only on a screen.

“I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations,” said one of the soldiers.

“A Dalek's a genius,” said the Doctor. “It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat.”

The cage door clicked and slowly began to open. Thorne sprinted towards the entrance with Adam and Rose close behind her.

“Open fire!”

“Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed!” Van Statton’s voice yelled.

“Rose, get out of there!” roared the Doctor.

“De Maggio, take the civilians and get them out alive. That is your job, got that?” ordered a male soldier.

The woman guard quickly nodded and moved to take up the rear of the trio. Immediately, they began running as fast as they could away from the cage. Rose held Thorne’s arm in an iron grip and Thorne was silently thanking every deity in the Universe that she was training for this sort of thing.

They ran up some stairs only to be confronted with a huge open area were hundreds of soldiers were waiting to fire.

“Civilians! Let them through!” yelled the female soldier.

They didn’t even stop to speak and sprinted as fast as they could to the next level. Adam was doing his best to remain at the front of the group but Thorne was always slightly quicker, especially now that Rose had released her hand.

Suddenly, they came through a huge amount of stairs. Grinning, Thorne sprinted up the first flight of stairs while Rose was too busy grinning like an idiot.

“Stairs! That's more like it. It hasn't got legs. It's stuck!” Rose grinned.

“It's coming! Get up!”

Thorne ran up another flight while Rose remained at the first flight. They looked down as the Dalek rolled into the area. They watched it from above and Thorne gulped as the Darlek looked up at Rose.

“Great big alien death machine defeated by a flight of stairs,” laughed Adam.

“Now listen to me. I demand that you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate then I can guarantee that Mister van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you and maybe that was wrong, but people have died, and that stops right now. The killing stops. Have you got that? I demand that you surrender. Is that clear?” said the soldier.

“Elevate!”

Slowly the Dalek lifted himself up and began going up the stairs.

“Oh my God!” cried Rose.

“Crap!”

“Adam, get them out of here!” ordered the female soldier.

“Come with us. You can't stop it,” said Rose.

“Someone's got to try. Now get out! Don't look back. Just run!”

Thorne didn’t need to be told twice and sprinted up the stairs with Rose and Adam not to far behind her. They ran through a large area where hundreds of soldiers were in different places.

“Hold your fire!” a man ordered. “You three, get the hell out of there!”

“No need to tell us twice!” said Thorne.

They ran past the guards at the entrance just before the Dalek entered. Turning for a second, Rose gasped at the Dalek looked directly at her before Adam pulled her away.

“It was looking at me!” said Rose.

“Yeah, it wants to slaughter us,” said Adam.

“I know, but it was looking right at me!”

“So? It's just a sort of metal eye thing. It's looking all around.”

“I don't know. It's like there's something inside, looking at me, like, like it knows me.”

“Rose don’t stop running!” yelled Thorne, already half way down the corridor.

**~{Violets}~**

Reaching another set of stairs, Rose’s phone began to ring shocking all three of them enough to stop them running. 

“This isn't the best time,” said Rose.

“Where are you?” the Doctor’s voice asked.

“Level forty nine,” said Rose after looking around.

They began running once again, Rose keeping a tight hold on the phone as they did so.

“You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty six,” said the Doctor.

“Can't you stop them closing?”

“I'm the one who's closing them. I can't wait and I can't help you. Now for God's sake, run!”

They reached level forty-six and were sprinting towards the bulk head they needed to get through. Once again, Thorne was at the head of the line while Adam was right behind her and Rose was at the back.

“We're nearly there. Give us two seconds!” cried Rose.

“I'm sorry.”

The klaxon sounded and the bulkhead began to lower. Thorne made her way through easily, Adam managed with eighteen inches to spare… Rose… wasn’t so lucky.

“Rose!” yelled Thorne, slamming her hands against the bulkhead. “Rose!”

“Come on!” said Adam.

“Rose!” sobbed Thorne.

Adam had to practically pick her up and rush her off towards Van Statton’s office. Thorne sobbed into him as he continued to run.

“Rose…”

Reaching the office, Adam gently put Thorne down, taking her arm and pulling her into the office. The moment she saw the Doctor, Thorne sprinted into his arms, sobbing her heart out as she thought of her big sister. Van Statton, Godard and Adam watched as the Doctor did his best to console her before turning his attention to Adam with a growl.

“You were quick on your feet, leaving Rose behind,” snapped the Doctor.

Thorne remained tucked into his chest, not moving as she continued to cry about Rose. How would she tell their mum? What would she tell their mum? They couldn’t even burry Rose!

“I'm not the one who sealed the vault!” snapped Adam. “Besides, someone needed to stay with Thorne!”

Suddenly the screen whizzed to life showing Rose, alive and well, and the Dalek next to the bulkhead.

“Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies,” the Dalek’s voice called.

Immediately, Thorne turned around in shock and happiness, her tears drying within an instant.

“You're alive!” cried the Doctor and Thorne in unison.

“Can't get rid of me,” chuckled Rose.

“I thought you were dead,” said the Doctor.

“Don’t do that to me again!” snapped Thorne.

“Open the bulkhead!” said the Dalek.

“Don't do it!” ordered Rose.

“What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?” said the Dalek.

“I killed her once. I can't do it again.”

The Doctor opened the bulkheads and the Dalek forced Rose to go forward. Thorne, while happy her sister was safe, quickly realised what they had just done.

“What do we do now, you bleeding heart. What the hell do we do?” snarled Van Statton.

“Kill it when it gets here!” snarled the Doctor.

“All the guns are useless, and the alien weapons are in the vault,” said Goddard.

“Only the catalogued ones,” said Adam with a grin.

**~{Are}~**

The Doctor didn’t let Thorne out of his sight as they sprinted to Adam’s office. Quickly, the Doctor ordered Thorne to grab anything that looked like a gun and hand it to him. Thorne did exactly what he ordered and Adam soon joined her.

“Broken. Broken. Hairdryer.”  
  


“Mister Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff, and when he does he wipes their memory. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day,” explained Adam, filling the silence.

“What, you in a fight? I'd like to see that,” said the Doctor.

“Doctor!” hissed Thorne.

“I could do!”

“What're you going to do, throw your A-Levels at 'em?” He grabbed the gun with a grin. “Oh, yes. Lock and load.”

“Thorne, stay here with Adam.”

The Doctor then sprinted off.

“You’re not staying here are you?” asked Adam.

“Hell no!”  
  


Thorne quickly followed the Doctor. She caught up with him as he was climbing up the stairs with the huge gun. He didn’t even bat an eye at her and just sighed but kept moving. They arrived on level one and the two sprinted towards where Rose was standing.

“Get out of the way!” ordered the Doctor, pointing his gun at the Dalek. “Rose, get out of the way now!”

“No. I won't let you do this.”

“That thing killed hundreds of people!” snarled the Doctor.

“It's not the one pointing the gun at me,” said Rose, perfectly calm.

“I've got to do this. I've got to end it!” said the Doctor. “The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left.”

Thorne heard his voice break and immediately put her hand on his shoulder.

“Look at it,” said Thorne.

Rose stepped aside, trusting her sister, revealing the Dalek with its casing open. Its tendrils were in the air as it attempted to feel the sunlight.

“What's it doing?”

“It's the sunlight, that's all it wants,” said Rose.

“But it can't—”

“It couldn't kill Van Statten, it couldn't kill me. It's changing.” Rose stepped towards him. “What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into?”

“I couldn't. I wasn't. Oh, Rose. They're all dead…” whimpered the Doctor.

The gun fell from his grip and Thorne grabbed his arm, squeezing it tightly in comfort. Both she and Rose looked at each other before sighing.

“Why do we survive?” asked the Dalek.

“I don't know,” said the Doctor softly.

“I am the last of the Daleks.”  
  


“You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating.”

“Into what?”

“Something new. I'm sorry,” said the Doctor, stepped towards it.

“Isn't that better?” asked Rose.

“Not for a Dalek,” replied the Doctor.

“I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Rose,” Rose turned to face it, “give me orders. Order me to die.”  
  


“I can't do that,” said Rose.

“This is not life. This is sickness. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction! Obey! Obey! Obey!”

She stared at it for a few seconds before nodding: “Do it.”  
  


“Are you frightened, Rose Tyler?” asked the Dalek sadly.

“Yeah,” agreed Rose.

“So am I. Exterminate.”

The Dalek shut its eyes and Rose was quick to move away, hugging Thorne and the Doctor as the Dalek closed its armour again and rose into the air. The balls on its lower body spread out around it, creating a forcefield, then it imploded safely.

**~{Blue}~**

They returned to where the Tardis resided in silence. Thorne had yet to release Rose’s arm as they continued.

“A little piece of home. Better than nothing,” said the Doctor, patting the Tardis exterior.

“Is that the end of it, the Time War?” asked Rose.

“I'm the only one left. I win. How about that?” said the Doctor with a grin.

“The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too,” said Thorne, hopefully.

“I'd know. In here.” He tapped his head. “Feels like there's no one.”

“Well then, good thing we’re not going anywhere,” said Rose.

“Yeah.”

Adam came charging down the corridor towards them, gasping for breath as he spoke: “We'd better get out. Van Statten's disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed.”

“About time,” said Rose and Thorne in unison.

“I'll have to go back home,” said Adam.

“Better hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours,” said the Doctor.

“Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars,” said Rose, making sure Adam couldn’t hear her.

“Tell him to go and stand outside, then,” said the Doctor.

“He's all on his own, Doctor, and he did help.”

“He left you down there.”

“So, did you,” said Thorne.

“What're you talking about? We've got to leave!” said Adam.

“Plus, he's a bit pretty,” said the Doctor with a smirk.

“I hadn't noticed,” said Rose.

“Ew… Ew…”

“On your own head,” sighed the Doctor.

He quickly unlocked the Tardis, helping Thorne inside.

“What're you doing? She said cement. She wasn't joking. We're going to get sealed in!” The Doctor and Rose followed Thorne inside. “Doctor? What're you doing standing inside a box? Rose? Thorne?”


	8. Chapter 7: The Long Game

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19 years old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter 7:** _The Long Game_

**“Solar flare activity has increased across space lanes five, five, six and all commercial flights are advised to avoid—”**

The Tardis landed softly on the metal ground with no one around to see it. The air was still and artificial but it was close enough that the Tardis felt perfectly fine with allowing the Doctor to open her doors and exit with Thorne and Rose following closely behind him.

The room they had landed in was huge, bigger than the Tardis control room. Beside the Tardis was a golden five – possibly signalling what floor they were on – and all around the room was red, silver and gold. There were different art sculptures scattered about, or Thorne assumed they were art pieces.

“So, it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship… No, space station, and er… try that gate over there,” said the Doctor.

The Doctor settled himself against the second door of the Tardis as Rose took in all the information he had just said. Thorne was still staring at the beautiful structure when she felt herself being tugged over to where the Doctor was standing.

“Two hundred thousand?” Rose questioned.

“Two hundred thousand.”

“Nice.”

Thorne smiled and stood beside the Doctor, her back resting against the wall with the huge five on it. The Doctor sent her a wink as Rose turned to the Tardis doors and opened them, revealing a rather shell-shocked Adam waiting inside.

“Adam! Out you come,” ushered Rose with a grin.

“I’m surprised your letting her show off,” said Thorne quietly.

“Eh, she wants to impress him,” said the Doctor with a shrug. “What’s the harm?”

The smile the Doctor gave her was one full of mischief and glee as Adam stepped out of the Tardis, his jaw hitting the metal floor. It was then that Thorne realised something else and sent the Doctor a raised eyebrow.

“You also don’t want to have to deal with him, do you?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, my God!” gasped Adam, looking around in a manner that mirrored what Thorne had just done.

“Don't worry,” said Rose, closing the Tardis door and sending the Doctor and Thorne a wink, “you'll get used to it.”

“Where are we?” asked Adam, still shell-shocked.

“Good question. Let's see.” Rose walked around for a minute, pretending to know what she was talking about. “So, er, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen –”

“Yeah,” prompted Adam.

“Engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down. Tell you what - let's try that gate. Come on!”

Rose led them towards the metal gate the Doctor had specified, moving the grating across and hopping up the stairs. The Doctor, like a gentleman, allowed Thorne to go before him and helped her up the stairs as she released a giggle of enjoyment.

Arriving at the top of the stairs, Thorne felt her breath being taken away as she looked through the massive viewing window at the Earth. Adam was even more in awe than her. If there was one feeling Thorne never wanted to get old, it was this one.

“Here we go! And this is…” Rose paused. “I'll let the Doctor describe it.”

“The Fourth great and bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at it's height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle.”

Adam fell to the ground.

“He's your boyfriend,” said the Doctor.

“Not anymore.”

Thorne just laughed and placed her jacket underneath Adam’s head before returning to staring out of the window.

“It’s beautiful,” said Thorne, her hand on the glass.

~CA~

With one arm around Adam and the other around Rose, the Doctor led them through different metal rooms. Thorne trailed behind them, taking everything with wide, child-like eyes filled with wonder. It didn’t matter that she was slowly overheating – her jacket having been returned to her after Adam had woken again – she was more concerned with the new technology she would be able to see.

“Come on, Adam. Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history,” said the Doctor as they turned a corner. “The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners…”

Suddenly a man cut in front of them, almost running them over with his speed.

“Out of the way!” he yelled.

The whirring of machinery filled Thorne’s ears as she, too, turned the corner and came face to face with what had stopped the Doctor in his tracks. Hundreds of people were bustling all around them, going between food vending stations and what Thorne assumed was a cash-point.

People were bashing into each other, fighting over the last piece of food and just all around being rude. It was like they were back home during match week.

“Fine cuisine?” questioned Rose.

Thorne felt her anxiety begin to set in at the amount of people surrounding them. Rose quickly grabbed Thorne’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze in hopes of calming her down before she had an attack.

“My watch must be wrong.” The Doctor tapped his watch, putting it against his ear before shaking his head. “No, it's fine. It's weird.”

“That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was,” said Rose.

Thorne was now tucked securely in Rose’s side. The Doctor turned to Rose with an indigent look.

“My history's perfect,” he retorted.

“Well, obviously not,” said Rose.

Adam looked around, scanning over everyone in the area before turning to the Doctor, clearly perplexed.

“They're all human. What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?” Adam questioned.

“Good question... Actually, that is a good question,” said the Doctor, he, too, scanned the masses. “Adam, me old mate, you must be starving.”

It was like a switch had been pulled in the Doctor’s head with how fast he put an arm around Adam and changed the topic. Rose and Thorne were leaning against one of the venders and both shared a look at the Doctor’s abrupt behaviour.

“No, I'm just a bit time sick,” said Adam, still slightly green.

“No, you just need a bit of grub.” The Doctor looked around and called to a nearby vendor. “Oi, mate - how much is a kronkburger?”

“Two credits twenty, sweetheart. Now join the queue,” ordered the vendor.

“Money,” said the Doctor, patting his pockets. “We need money. Let's use a cashpoint.”

**“Attention all staff. All coverage of the Glasgow water riots being transferred five through nine.”**

The Doctor led them over to a red, padded cash-point, making sure no one was looking. He sent them a wink as he took out his sonic-screwdriver and pointed it at the screen, watching as the machine processed it and produced a large, plastic card, which the Doctor then handed to Adam.

It reminded Thorne of when the Tyler women went out of their annual shopping trip: Jackie would hand Thorne a large amount of cash and tell her to go off and by something, as long as Thorne remained in one shop she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. Then again, it also reminded her of the last school trip she had been on when she was still in high-school but that trip wasn’t one she ever wanted to think of again.

“There you go, pocket money,” said the Doctor as Adam accepted the strange card. “Don't spend it all on sweets.”

“How does it work?” asked Adam, logically.

“Go and find out. Stop nagging me. The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers. Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it. Off you go, then,” grinned the Doctor. “Your first date.”

“You're going to get a smack, you are,” laughed Rose.

Rose and Adam walked away from the Doctor and Thorne was just about to follow them when the Doctor gently took her arm.

“How about you and I go and investigate?” said the Doctor with a grin.

“Was all this just a ploy to keep Adam out of the way?” asked Thorne.

“You know me too well,” nodded the Doctor. “Besides, it’s probably better for you to come with me, especially since those two will be heading into a rather densely packed area which I don’t think you’d want to enter.”

“My, my Doctor, that almost sounds like you care,” joked Thorne.

The Doctor scoffed fondly at her with a smile and wrapped an around around her shoulder, keeping her next to him and offering a level of security that calmed her nerves. He made sure to keep mostly towards the wall, where there weren’t that many people, and soon Thorne spotted two very well dressed ladies, who they quickly approached.

“Er, this is going to sound daft, but can you tell us where we are?” asked the Doctor, putting on his best ‘lost-puppy’ face.

“Floor One Three Nine,” said the dark suited woman, pointing at the huge metal letters. “Could they write it any bigger?”

“Floor one three nine of what?” asked Thorne.

The two women looked them up and down, sharing a look before the same woman answered again.

“Must've been a hell of a party.”  
  


“You're on Satellite Five,” said the nicer woman.

“What's Satellite Five?”

“Come on, how could you get on board without knowing where you are?” the dark-suited wearing woman asked, her tone harsh and disbelieving.

“Look at us. We’re stupid,” said the Doctor, gesturing to himself and Thorne.

“Hold on, wait a minute,” said the nicer woman, looking them both up and down with a look of barely hidden excitement. “Are you a test? Some sort of management test kind of thing?”

“You've got us,” said the Doctor, pulling out his psychic paper and showing it to them. “Well done. You're too clever for us.”

“We were warned about this in basic training,” said the nice woman to her companion. “All workers have to be versed in company promotion. Though I didn’t expect you to be so young.”

“Well, how else would we catch people out?” said Thorne, thinking on her feet. “After all, you managed to figure out my colleague, but you wouldn’t have batted an eye at me.”

The Doctor gave her an incredibly proud look, which she internally preened at.

“Right, fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor five hundred I'll do anything.”

“Why, what happens on Floor five hundred?” asked the Doctor.

“The walls are made of gold. And you should know, Mister Management,” her tone had changed drastically, from one of harshness to one of forced politeness. “So, this is what we do.”

She led them over to a wall monitor where different channels were flashing up and down all over the screen. Throne immediately recognised one of the faces on the screens as The Face of Boe and smiled at the fond memory she had of him.

“Latest news, sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago. Two hundred dead,” the woman began with no emotion. “Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane seventy seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Bo has just announced he's pregnant.”

Thorne didn’t even want to think about how that was possible and instead focused back onto the Doctor, who still hadn’t released her from his hold.

“I get it. You broadcast the news,” said the Doctor, nodding along.

“We are the news. We're the journalists. We write it, package it and sell it. Six hundred channels all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere. Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going though us.”

**“All staff are reminded that the canteen area now operates a self-cleaning table system. Thank you!”**

A cart whirled by revealing Adam and Rose sitting near the vendors area. Both the Doctor and Thorne turned around, Thorne happy to see her sister and feeling her anxiety lessen as more and more people left the area.

“Oi, Mutt and Jeff! Over here,” called the Doctor, gaining their attention.

~CA~

The two women led them into a huge octagonal room. Seven people were seated at an octagonal desk – a metal chair sitting on top of it – with hand plates embedded inside. There was what Thorne assumed was a light right above the chair that lit up the entire room for them to see.

The quartet were standing behind a small piece of metal fencing as the woman from before stood on the desks and began to speak.

“Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection,” she turned to face the Doctor. “How do you want it, by the book?”

“Right from scratch, thanks,” said the Doctor with a shrug.

“Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot,- my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni,” Cathica introduced. She turned to the Doctor with a wink. “That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do.” She returned to the rest of the people in front of her. “Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy.”

“Actually, it's the law,” said the nicer woman smiling over at them.

“Yes, thank you, Suki,” Cathica hissed. “Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests.” Cathica slipped onto the metal chair, laying back so that her head was under the light. “Here we go. And engage safety—”

The seven held their hands over the palm print on the table in front of them. Lights started to come on around the room. Cathica clicked her fingers and a portal opened in her forehead. The seven put their hands into the palm prints.

“And three, two, and spike!”

A beam of light shot out from her head, connecting to what Thorne had assumed was a light.

“Wicked,” whispered Thorne. “What are they doing?”  
  


“Compressed information, streaming into her,” the Doctor explained. “Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer.”

“If it all goes through her, she must be a genius,” commented Rose, ruffling Thorne’s hair.

“Nah, she wouldn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head'd blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets.”

“So, what about all these people round the edge?”

“They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power,” said the Doctor.

“It’s amazing,” said Thorne, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I’ve never even dreamed of anything like this!”

Rose turned her head towards Adam, who was once again looking very green.

“You all right?” asked Rose softly.

“I can see her brain,” gaped Adam.

“Do you want to get out?”

“No. No, this technology, like Thorne said, it's amazing.”

“This technology's wrong,” said the Doctor, a dark edge to his voice.

“Trouble?” the sisters said in unison.

The Doctor turned to them, a huge grin on his face and mischief in his eyes as he said: “Oh, yeah.”

Thorne zeroed in on Suki who flinched. It was like someone had placed a cold ice-cube on her back but she didn’t removed her hands. Then, it was like she’d been struck by lightning, she removed her hands all together causing the other six to lift their hands and the beams to shut down.

“Come off it, Suki,” Cathica growled when she woke up from her trance. “I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?”

“Sorry!” gasped Suki. “It must've been a glitch.”

“Oh,” said Cathica, getting out of the chair.

A ding filled the air and everyone immediately turned towards a blank wall as the computer called out: **“Promotion.”**

A blue screen took up the entire wall as Cathica moved towards it. Most people had their hands clasped together with a look of anticipation and longing.

“Come on. This is it. Come on. Oh God, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name,” begged Cathica.

**“Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor five hundred.”**

“I don't believe it,” gasped Suki standing up and walking towards the screen. “Floor five hundred.”

“How the hell did you manage that?” snarled Cathica. “I'm above you.”  
  


“I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes!” chirped Suki.

“That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years!”

“What's Floor five hundred?” asked Rose softly.

“The walls are made of gold,” answered the Doctor and Thorne.

~CA~

“Cathica, I'm going to miss you,” said Suki, standing beside the lift with a huge smile. She turned to the Doctor and Thorne, her eyes sparkling with joy. “Floor five hundred, thank you.”

“I didn't do anything,” said the Doctor with a shrug.

“Well, you're my lucky charm,” said Suki, still smiling.

“All right. I'll hug anyone,” said the Doctor, grinning as he pulled her into a hug.

Suki turned to Thorne and opened her arms. Smiling, Thorne hugged Suki and patted her shoulder before returning to the Doctor’s side. Cathica was still rather angry that Suki had been picked over her but she supported her friend even so. 

**“All staff are reminded that the sixteen forty break session has been shortened by ten minutes. Thank you.”**

“Oh, my God, I've got to go!” cried Suki. “I can't keep them waiting. I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!”

Suki stepped into the lift and waved at them as the doors closed. They waited a few seconds to make sure she had finally left before anyone spoke.

“Good riddance,” said Cathica, spitefully.

“You're talking like you'll never see her again,” said the Doctor, confused. “She's only going upstairs.”

“We won't. Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good thing,” said Thorne.

They began to walk back through the cafeteria with Cathica leading them once more. The Doctor agreed with Thorne, it didn’t sound good, and he needed to find out what was really going on.

“Have you ever been up there?” the Doctor prodded.

“I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few,” said Cathica, glaring at them slightly. “Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?”

“But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?” the Doctor continued.

“You’re stuck here, forever?” gaped Thorne.

They had returned to the broadcast room at this point and the Doctor jumping into the chair Cathica had used.

“I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all…” she paused. “You're not management, are you.”

“At last. She's clever,” grinned the Doctor.

“The fact I’m this young should have given it away instantly, come on,” said Thorne, leaning against the Doctor’s arm with a matching grin.

“Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything,” said Cathica, glancing around.

“Don't you even ask?” asked Doctor, shocked and appalled.

“Well, why would I?” Cathica snapped.

“You're a journalist,” said Thorne, confused, “you’re meant to dig into everything, to make sure everything you say is fact.”

Cathica, for a moment, seemed stumped by Thorne’s words before her pride resumed and she moved to turn away.

  
“Why's all the crew human?” asked the Doctor, somewhat randomly.

“What's that got to do with anything?” Cathica snapped, turning to face them once more.

“There's no aliens on board. Why?” the Doctor prodded.

“I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything,” said Cathica, looking around.

“Then where are they?” asked Thorne. “Millions of aliens in the universe and yet no one here on the biggest news station in the world.”  
  


“I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats,” she said thoughtfully.

“What threats?”

She hesitated: “I don't know… all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all.”

“Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice.”  
  


“Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything,” said Cathica.

“Not if someone poisoned the facts,” said Thorne quietly.

“I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology,” said the Doctor.

“It's cutting edge.”  
  


“It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've chucked this out years ago.”

“So, what do you think's going on?” asked Rose.

“It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back.”

“And how would you know?” said Cathica.

“Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?”

“…Ninety one years ago…”

~CA~

Cathica and Thorne kept their eyes on the crowd as the Doctor and Rose fiddled with a pair of double doors. Thorne could tell Cathica was terrified of what was happening but she was also too curious to turn away, at least until something happened.

“We are so going to get in trouble,” said Cathica to Thorne, quietly. She turned and walked towards them, her voice as quiet as it could be, “You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off.”

“Rose, tell her to button it,” ordered the Doctor, focused on the door.

“You can't just vandalise the place. Someone's going to notice!” said Cathica.

“That’s the point,” said Thorne.  
  


“What?”

“If someone is poisoning the well of information that is satellite Five, they have to be rather high up, right?”

Cathica nodded.

“So how else do you get to the top then by getting noticed for doing something you shouldn’t be,” said Thorne, a cheeky smile on her face.

The doors behind them slid open as the Doctor beamed with pride. Sticking his hand into the mess of wires, he motioned for Thorne to join him and soon the two were making things spark as they made their way through the nest of complicated wiring.

“This is nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work,” said Cathica, hoping it would convince them to stop.

“Go on, then. See you!” said the Doctor.

“I can't just leave you, can I!”  
  


“If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling. What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?” said Rose, fanning herself with her jacket.

“I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine,” said Cathica.

“Something to do with the turbine,” the Doctor mimicked.

“Well, I don't know!” snapped Cathica.

“Exactly. I give up on you, Cathica. Now, Rose. Look at Rose. Rose is asking the right kind of question.”  
  


“Oh, thank you,” said Rose, nodding happily.

“Why is it so hot?” asked the Doctor, looking around.

“One minutes you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!”

“Well, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important.”

From somewhere within the wiry void, the Doctor pulled forth a monitor with a schematic for the entire station written on it. Thorne was staring at it with a look of pure confusion, especially when her eyes were drawn to the heating section. Admittedly, Thorne had never been good with plumbing but she knew wires and heating and what usually made things overheat and everything on that schematic was wrong.

“Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout,” said the Doctor.

“This is ridiculous. You've got access to the computer's core. You can look at the archive, the news, the stock exchange and you're looking at pipes?” cried Cathica.

“But there's something wrong,” said Thorne. “There’s something very wrong.”  
  


“I suppose.”

“Why, what is it?” asked Rose.

Cathica took the screen and pointed towards the sections both the Doctor and Thorne were focused on.

“The ventilation system. Cooling ducts, ice filters, all working flat out channelling massive amounts of heat down.”

“All the way from the top,” added the Doctor.

“Floor five hundred.”

“Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat,” said the Doctor.

“More heat then even the engines and life support which is _actually_ impressive considering how much heat those things usually give out for a station this size and this many people… I’ll stop talking now, I swear…”

The Doctor patted her on the head with a smile as Rose shook her head.

“Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party. It's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?” grinned Rose.

“You can't. You need a key,” said Cathica.

“Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here. Here we go. Override two one five point nine.”

The monitor flashed showing the code: 215.99.76/31

“How come it's given you the code?”

“Someone up there likes me.”

With the code secured, they made their way back to the lifts with Cathica trailing behind them in shock. Rose could tell that Cathica wanted to go with them, to see the walls made of gold, but she also didn’t want to get into trouble.

“Come on. Come with us,” Rose encouraged.

“No way.”

“Bye!” waved the Doctor.

“Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me,” said Cathica, rushing away.

“That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just you two and me,” grinned the Doctor, patting Thorne’s shoulder.

“Yeah.”  
  


“Good,” he grinned.

“Yep,” smirked Thorne.

~CA~

The first thing Thorne noticed when the lift doors opened was the walls were not, in fact, made of gold. Instead they were made of ice and Thorne was suddenly wishing that she had brought a jacket. The Doctor, noticing her shivering, slipped his jacket around Thorne’s shoulders before stepping out of the lift and turning towards the two girls.

“The walls are not made of gold,” he said. “You should go back downstairs.”

“Tough,” smiled Rose.

“Not a snowballs chance in hell,” said Thorne, proud that she had managed not to stutter.

The Doctor nodded, taking their hands and leading them through the snow and ice towards the place a light was coming out of. Rose kept looking at Thorne from the corner of her eye, making sure that her younger sister wasn’t getting too cold or wasn’t in any danger.

Walking up the stairs they stopped upon being confronted by several frozen people and a white haired man with a goatee. He stared at each of them in turn with a huge grin on his face that made Thorne’s skin crawl.

“I started without you. This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you two, you don't exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?”

Rose looked around and spotted Suki, rushing towards her and looking her over.

“Suki. Suki! Hello? Can you hear me? Suki?” she glared at the Editor. “What have you done to her?”

“I think she's dead,” said Thorne, seeing the lack of response.

“She's working!”

“They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep going, like puppets,” said the Doctor.

“Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back, because apparently, you're no one. It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?” the Editor asked.

“It doesn't matter, because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on.”

The Doctor turned to leave with Thorne at his side only for two of the frozen zombies to grab them from behind as Rose was held in place by Suki. Thorne whimpered as the frost bit at her exposed skin, becoming more painful the longer he held on.

“Tell me who you are!”

“Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I.”  
  


“Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise.”  
  


“And who's that?”  
  


“It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live.”

There was a growl and snarl above them.

“Yeah. Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client.”

The Editor pointed upwards where a giant lump was hanging from the ceiling. It had rows of knife-like teeth at the end of a pseudopod.

“What is that?” asked Rose.

“I don’t like it…” said Thorne timidly.

“You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?” gaped the Doctor.

“That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race. For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by it's broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe. I call him Max.”  
  


~CA~

The trio stood beside each other with heavy cuffs around their wrists, luckily they were a lot warmer than Thorne expected by both the Doctor and Rose were worried upon seeing the blue tint to Thorne’s lips.

“Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilise an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote.”

“So all the people on Earth are like, slaves,” said Rose.

“Well, now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?”

“Yes,” said the Doctor and Thorne.

“Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?”  
  


“Yes.” They once again said in unison.

“You're no fun.”

“Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am,” snarled the Doctor.

“Oh, he's tough, isn't he,” said the Editor, winking over to Rose and Thorne. “But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit.”

“You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must have noticed,” said Rose.

“From time to time, someone, yes, but the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it.”

“Then they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual, when of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing.”

Cathica’s head poked out from behind the Editor and a new plan formed in the trios heads.

“What about you? You're not a Jagrabelly –”  
  


“Jagrafess,” the Doctor and Thorne corrected.

“Jagrafess. You're not a Jagrafess. You're human.”  
  


“Yeah, well, simply being human doesn't pay very well.”

“But you couldn't have done this all on your own.”

“No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to install himself.”

“Money, why does it always come back to money,” groaned Thorne, “why can it never be anything fun, like lust or pride… why is it always greed.”

Rose sent Thorne a look that both meant ‘Shut up’ and ‘keep talking.’

“No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?”

“Three thousand years.”

“That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat. That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, it stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system,” said the Doctor.

“But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?”

The Editor snapped his fingers and energy surged through the manacles. Rose and the Doctor were almost forced to their knees by the force of it while Thorne – much like with the Slitheen – didn’t so much as flinch.

“Leave them alone. I'm the Doctor, she's Rose Tyler and the younger one is Thorne Tyler. We're nothing, we're just wandering!” roared the Doctor, unaware that Thorne wasn’t in any pain or danger.

“Tell me who you are!”

“I just said!”

“Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly—” the Jagrafess growled. “Time Lord.”

Everything stood and the Doctor stared at the Editor with a look of barely concealed fear.

“What?”  
  


“Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords in his travelling machine. Oh, with his little human girls from long ago.”

“You don't know what you're talking about,” tried the Doctor.

“Time travel.”

“Someone's been telling you lies.”  
  


“Young master Adam Mitchell?” The Editor called up the holo-monitor showing Adam in the broadcast chair.

“Oh, my God. His head!” gasped Rose.

“Adam is an idiot!”

“What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything!” roared the Doctor.

“And through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T A R D I S. Tardis!”

“Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first.”  
  


“Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key,” grinned the Editor.

“You and your boyfriends!” snarled the Doctor.

“Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing.”

“And no one's going to stop you because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold.”

Suddenly things began to change. The Jagrafess snarled and the Editor gave his master a pleading look.

“What's happening? Someone's disengaged the safety,” he called up an image on the holo-monitor. “Who's that?”

“It's Cathica!” cried Rose and Thorne.

“And she's thinking. She's using what she knows,” chuckled the Doctor,

“Terminate her access,” the Editor ordered.

“Everything I told her about Satellite Five. The pipes, the filters, she's reversing it. Look at that.”

The icicles began melting.

“It's getting hot,” grinned Rose.

“I said, terminate. Burn out her mind!” the Editor ordered.

Colsoles all around them exploded in a flurry of sparks as the dead operators finally collapsed. Alarms blasted all around them, deafening Thorne as she saw Rose managing to remove herself from the manacles.

“She's venting the heat up here. The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano!” laughed the Doctor.

“Yes, I'm trying, sir, but I don't know how she did it. It's impossible. A member of staff with an idea,” the Editor gaped.

He quickly threw Suki from the chair and took over in an attempt to stop Cathica but Thorne knew it wouldn’t work, Cathica seemed really stubborn.

“What do I do?” asked Rose.

She was holding the sonic screwdriver in her hands and panicking as the Jagraffess above them released howls and growls of rage.

“Flick the switch!” soon both The Doctor and Thorne were free of the manacles. “Oi, mate, want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang. See you in the headlines!”

Grabbing both girls by the hands, the Doctor sprinted as far away from the Editor as they could, heading right towards Cathica. Junks of ice fell from the ceiling, which they managed to barely avoid, as they made their way into broadcast. Grinning, the Doctor snapped his fingers and Cathica’s portal closed.

~CA~

They had made their way back down to level 139 where most people were helping those injured by the explosion on floor 500. Thorne happily returned the Doctor’s jacket, but her mind was far more focused on what had just transpired.

_Why wasn’t I effected by the manacles?_ Thought Thorne. _What’s wrong with me?_

The Doctor, sensing Thorne’s distress and internal conflict, grabbed her hand with a smile and turned towards Cathica.

“We're just going to go. I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage,” he said, grinning.

“You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me,” cried Cathica, looking around.

“Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal.”  
  


“What about your friend?” asked Cathica, spotting Adam slowly coming towards them.

“He's not my friend,” said the Doctor, his cheeriness gone as Thorne squeezed his hand.

“Now, don't—” Rose tried but she was cut off by the man himself.

“I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key. Look, it's. It all worked out for the best, didn't it? You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge…”

The Doctor didn’t even respond, simply pushed Adam into the Tardis, pulling Thorne gently behind him. Rose stared at them sorrowfully and got inside, knowing that there was no way that the Doctor would allow Adam to remain with them.

Upon stepping out of the Tardis for a second time, Thorne found herself within a lovely, normal house living room. It was a complete change from where they had just been but it was… alright. Pink was never Thorne’s colour, she always preferred blue.

“It's my house. I'm home!” cried Adam, stepping out. “Oh, my God, I'm home! Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock.”

“Is there something else you want to tell me?” The Doctor was leaning against the Tardis with a face that would make thunder afraid.

“No. What do you mean?” stuttered Adam.

The Doctor, annoyed, walked over to the table and picked up the answering machine. Instantly Adam knew he had been caught and sent Rose a pleading look.

“The archive of Satellite Five. One second of that message could've changed the world.” Taking out his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor pointed it towards the answering machine, watching as it exploded. “That's it, then. See you.”

“How do you mean, see you?”

“As in goodbye.”

“But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head. I've got a chip type two. My head opens.”

“What, like this?” the Doctor clicked his fingers and Adam’s forehead opened, revealing his brain.

It made Thorne quite nauseous to look at. _One of the many reasons I shall never venture into the Medical field._

“Don't,” snapped Adam, closing it.

“Don't do what?”  
  


Open.

“Stop it!”

Close.

Thorne was turning rather green now and had to physically turn away from Adam.

“All right now, Doctor, that's enough. Stop it,” snapped Rose, getting in between them.

Seeing the look she cast over to Thorne made the Doctor look as well. He immediately felt bad about upon seeing just how much his little joke had affected her.

“Sorry Thorne,” he said quietly.

“Thank you,” Adam said at the same time.

Rose clicked her fingers and watched as his head opened.

“Oi!”  
  


“Sorry, I couldn't resist,” giggled Rose.

Adam closed it once more and glared at them.

“The whole of history could have changed because of you,” said the Doctor, glaring at him.

“I just wanted to help!” said Adam.

“You were helping yourself,” retorted the Doctor.

“And I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am, but you can't just leave me like this.”  
  


“Yes I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average, unseen. Good luck.”  
  


“But I want to come with you.”

“I only take the best. I've got Rose and Thorne, who are the very best.”

The Front door opened. Quickly the Doctor and Thorne entered the Tardis, the Doctor moved to the controls and began getting ready to take off again once Rose was inside.

“Doctor…” began Thorne, rather timidly.

“Yes?”

“I think there’s something wrong with me,” said Thorne, her voice wavering ever so slightly.

He moved to her side and placed both hands on either side of her face. She looked him directly in the eyes and felt tears begin to gather there as she thought back to all of the strangeness that had happened all around her.

“Now why do you think that?”

“I wasn’t affected – by the electricity on the Slitheen or-or the manacles,” said Thorne, trying her best to remain calm. “I mean, Rose was affected and even you were and I wasn’t and I-I. what’s wrong with me, Doctor? Am I really a freak?”

Pulling Thorne into a tight hug, the Doctor didn’t really care that her tears were soaking through his shirt. He held her for a few moments before pushing her away gently and running his sonic screwdriver up and down her.

“You are perfectly human,” said the Doctor, not even glancing at the Screwdriver. “You are definitely not a freak, who ever told you that?”

“People…”

“Thorne, you are just you,” said the Doctor, patting her hair. “Go and get some rest, and hot chocolate, I’ll have Rose go and check on you later. Alright?”

“Thanks, Doctor,” said Thorne, hugging him once more. “For being my friend.”

“Any time.”

~CA~

**Note:** I know it’s been a while since I updated this story and it will probably be a long time before I update it again. These chapters take a long time for me to write since I tend to write the chapters while I’m watching the episode. Thank you for all of your support, though, and I hope that my next update won’t take so long.

**Request:** I would like to request that some of you who are interested in fantasy or just like my writing go and read my original story, **Saharrah the Bleeding Daughter**. It’s on Quotev and available for everyone to read. I really do want feedback on it since I want to try and get it published but there is only so much I can do alone without someone to act as my Beta reader. All you have to do is read it and tell me what you think that is all.

**Advice:** I was recently asked, privately, how I write such good characters and I figured I’d post my response here so that anyone who wants to ask me the same question can find it here.

Don't just write a character, write the character you want to become. Write about the traits you'd value most in yourself, or in your friend. Write about what you want to change about yourself and your writing will become your guide as to how. Don't just write you, write the BEST version of you because this is the version of you that will be remembered for the rest of time, and this is the you that people will idolise. Don't just write a character, write the BEST character.


	9. Chapter 8: Father’s Day

**Roses Are Red**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who, obviously, nor do I own Thorne or the ideas surrounding her.

**Actress:** Sabrina Carpenter

**Note:** I hate this episode, like really badly, so this chapter isn’t my best and I can honestly say that I just wanted this chapter to be OVER.

**Dedication:** This story is entirely dedicated to The Devils Puppet Master aka Lydia Faith who died of Brain Cancer on the 1st of February 2019 after a 7-year battle. I have been asked to write this story by her loving parents who wanted her last wish to be fulfilled even if she was no longer around to see it. Lydia was only 19 years old when she died, and she deserved so much longer. REST IN PEACE.

~{CA}~

**Chapter 8:** _Father’s Day_

“Peter Alan Tyler my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th September 1954.”

_“Come here, Rose. Come here,” said Jackie softly, Rose had been so young when her mother had called her into her bedroom, a book sitting on her lap, and began telling her a story. The two had been settled on Jackie’s bed as Jackie pointed at a picture of a middle-aged man and felt tears come to her eyes. “Who's that? It's your daddy. You weren't old enough to remember when he died. 1987, 7th of November. Do you remember what I told you? The day that Stuart Hoskins and Sarah Clarke got married. He was always having adventures. Oh, he would have loved to have seen you now.”_

“That's what Mum always says,” said Rose, finishing her recollection. Thorne had been hugging her the entire time and doing her best to stop herself from sobbing as she listened on. “So I was thinking, could we, could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?”

“Where's this come from, all of a sudden?” asked the Doctor, intrigued but also rather sympathetic.

“All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of times or something, then never mind, just leave it,” said Rose, disappointedly dismissing it.

“No, I can do anything,” he protested, motioning to the controls. “I'm just more worried about you.”

“I want to see him.”

“Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for.”

And so, the Doctor kept his promise. First came the wedding of Peter Tyler and Jackie Tyler. They had managed to sneak in using the Doctor’s psychic paper and were watching the wedding. Rose had Thorne’s hand in a death grip as she forced herself not to cry as she watched her parents get married and, for the first time, saw her father.

“I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice—"

“I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne Suzette Anita –” Peter attempted.

“Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di,” laughed Jackie, a huge smile on her younger face.

“I thought he'd be taller,” said Rose, quietly.

“To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold till death us do part.”

“ **He died so close to home. I wasn't there. Nobody was. It was a hit and run driver. Never found out who. He was dead when the ambulance got there. I only wish there'd been someone there for him.”**

“I want to be that someone, so he doesn't die alone,” said Rose, looking at the Doctor, pleadingly.

“November the 7th?” the Doctor confirmed.

“1987.”

The Tardis landed on Waterley Street, November 7TH, 1987, as quietly as a mouse. It had parked, as best she could, between a telephone junction box and a road sign, behind a wall so as not to be seen from the road.

Slowly, and full of hesitation, Rose stepped out of the Tardis and looked around. She could hardly believe that she was there, standing in the same area where her father had died, on the same day.

“It's so weird. The day my father died. I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day,” said Rose.

The Doctor and Thorne stepped out afterwards, neither really feeling the effects that Rose was. Thorne was only there for moral support for her sister.

“The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wight,” dismissed the Doctor. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah.”

Jordan Road. The place where everything changed for Jackie, and Rose for that matter.

“This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said, that stupid vase.”  
  


A green van came around the corner and Rose was focused on it, her entire demeanour as if in a daze.

“He got out of his car.”

It pulled up onto the kerb.

“And crossed the road…”

Thorne grabbed her sister’s hand and held on as tightly as she could.

“Oh, God. This is it.”

Peter removed himself from the van – the Doctor took Rose’s other hand – not seeing the beige car coming around the corner at breakneck speed. The driver shielded his face with his arm as he drove, full force, straight into Pete sending the vase flying into the air before it crashed into the ground in the middle of the road.

“Go to him, quick,” whispered the Doctor.

But Rose was frozen. Sirens approached from somewhere nearby and Rose realised that her chance was gone.

“It's too late now. By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead. He can't die on his own. Can I try again?”

The Doctor indulged her. Glancing around the corner, the Doctor and Rose spotted their past selves standing by the kerbside. Thorne had a bad feeling, the type dogs got before a storm, and knew that something was going to go wrong… she just couldn’t figure out what.

“Right, that's the first you and me. It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait till she runs off and he follows, then go to your dad.”

Once again, Pete parked at the kerb.

“Oh, God. This is it,” said Past Rose.

“I can't do this,” said the current Rose, timidly.

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here,” said the Doctor, misunderstanding her.

Then, without warning, Rose sprinted forward just as Pete got out of the van.

“Rose! No!”

Dashing past her earlier self, Rose forced her father out of the path of the beige car, the vase rolling away, unbroken, and the earlier Doctor, Rose and Thorne vanished. The Doctor could only look on in shock until he felt something on his arm.

“…D-Doctor…”

Thorne fell into his arms, her entire being slowly becoming more and more transparent as the seconds ticked on. Shocked, the Doctor held onto her, watching as Rose came back over to him and realised what she had just done. Before Rose could reach her sister … Thorne had disappeared.

~{Roses}~

Pete took a deep breath, steeled his resolved and sprinted out of the Church, clutching the vase to his chest. He didn’t stop, even as a creature spotted him and began flying towards him, he didn’t stop until he was around the corner and the car appeared once more. It was only then that Peter Tyler, father of Rose Tyler and Husband of Jackie Tyler, stopped and closed his eyes, waiting for the impact which came seconds afterwards.

“Goodbye, love,” he whispered, listening as the vase shattered near him and the creatures vanished.

“Go to him. Quick,” said the Doctor, now returned, in St Pauls Church.

This time, she did. Rose ran to her dying father, and this time the driver stopped at the scene. In his final moments, Pete died gazing lovingly into the eyes of his grown up daughter, who he knew would be alright.

“ **The driver was just a kid. He stopped, he waited for the police. It wasn't his fault. For some reason, Pete just ran out. People say there was this girl, and she sat with Pete while he was dying. She held his hand. Then she was gone. Never found out who she was.**

“Peter Alan Tyler, my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Died the 7th of November, 1987,” whispered Rose.

The Tardis had relocated to outside the Tandoori across the road. Thorne had settled outside of the blue box, her knees hugging her chest as she looked at her hands. Without a second thought, Rose sprinted towards her younger sister and swallowed Thorne in a tight, sorrowful hug.

“I’m sorry!” said Rose, sobbing. “I’m so, so, sorry.”

“Hey, it’s fine,” laughed Thorne, “I’m back now and besides, it wasn’t as if I didn’t expect it.”

“Come on, girls,” ordered the Doctor, “I believe it’s Hot Chocolate and Bananas for everyone.”

Thorne held onto her sister, stopping her before she could fully enter the Tardis and asked: “Did you manage it, then? To be with him when he left?”

“Yeah… I did…”

“Good, he shouldn’t have had to die alone.”

~CA~

**Note: I hate this episode, like really badly, so this chapter isn’t my best and I can honestly say that I just wanted this chapter to be OVER. It’s not up to my normal standards I understand but there is a reason that I wrote this chapter instead of just skipping it.**

For those asking who Thorne’s parents are: **I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU**. I love that you’re interested though and I’ll give you something to chew on, One of her parents is revealed in the


End file.
